The Great Escape
by BloodRedAngel808
Summary: They threw it all away. For Freedom. Despite the fact that they were from different social boundries. They were still freinds. But when reality pushes them past thier limits, Things will change. SasuNaru GaaSaku
1. Oneshot preview

The Great Escape

They were best friends. No matter what life would throw into their way. No matter how bad life got, what battle's they had to face.

Two with terrible past's. The other that kept them glued together.

The sleek black car pulled up to Sakura's house near midnight on a cool Friday night. The tinted widow rolled down to revel a dark-haired teen in black jeans and a red t-shirt. In the passenger seat was a blonde boy wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and ripped blue jeans.

She mimicked their smiles and popped open the back seat's door and slide herself in. Her black shorts and green tank top making her pink hair stand out.

They tore down the road and pulled up to a run-down house. A red-haired boy climbed out of the second-story window and rushed to the car. His black cargo pants and AC/DC shirt sliding in with the rest of him as Sakura opened the door.

The lights in the house clicked on suddenly and they laughed as the Sasuke put his foot on the gas and sped down the road.

Naruto reached over to the radio and pressed the CD button on the complicated device.

_Paper bags and plastic hearts  
All are belongings in shopping carts  
It's goodbye  
But we got one more night  
Let's get drunk and ride around  
And make peace with an empty town  
We can make it right_

Gaara reached into the small fridge under his seat and pulled out 4 bottles of beer. He tossed one to each of them and opened them up.

Sasuke rolled down all the windows and let the New York City air rush into the car. He glanced back as Sakura started laughing and the usually stotic Gaara flip someone random person off on the sidewalk.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

They pulled up to a shop and filed out. Sasuke pulled out his wallet and told them to grab a couple pairs of cloths.

Sakura gave him a big hug, then took Gaara's hand and tore down the aisle. Naruto and Sasuke not far behind.

_Tonight will change our lives  
It's so good to be by your side  
But we'll cry  
We won't give up the fight  
We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs  
And they'll think it's just cause we're young  
And we'll feel so alive_

After the shopping was done, they grabbed a quick bite to eat and hoped back into the car at the sound of the police sirens.

Sakura stuck her head out the sun roof and lifted her arms wide open, looking down and grinning widely at the red-haired boy beneath her on the seat.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

They were almost out of the city, it was just a few more miles and their horrible lives would be thrown behind them.

The constant worry of being molded and transformed to the liking of his parents. The orphan with no decent education, home or family. The smart popular girl who wanted the wild freedom she craved. The abused son of a drunk man and outcast of his school.

The past was rushing through the ears and out the open windows. Caution to the wind, the world a blur in their eyes.

_All of the wasted time  
The hours that were left behind  
The answers that we'll never find  
They don't mean a thing tonight_

It had been Sasuke's idea to hit the road and fly free. It had been Naruto's idea to settle in a different town. It was Sakura's idea to at least grab some cloths on the way. It was Gaara's idea to grab her and kiss her.

Naruto threw his head back and laughed as he took in Sakura's both shocked and pleased look. Sasuke grabbed the front of the blonde shirt and planted one on him as well.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway_

Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

The red and blue flashing lights were a distant blur in Sasuke's rearview mirror. The large mansion, the cardboard box, the homey yellow house, and the run-down apartment complex, were all one big mistake.

Just a dot behind them as they traveled the distance down the long highway. Just an obstacle they had to push through to make the great escape.

Fin

Angel: I LOVE THIS SONG! OMG I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH! And I just had to write a story on it. So...not takey my idea. I MAY make a full fanfic about it. If I get enough reviews. But I won't start till Summer in the South is done. It'll have the same title as this one, but it'll be a full fic!

So, tell me what you want and if you liked!

Blessed be,

Angel


	2. The Molded One

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Paper bags and plastic hearts  
All are belongings in shopping carts_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter One

_The Molded One_

Can you tell yourself when life gets bad, to just run away?

Sure you can, but when you live in the Uchiha household, it's pretty much out of the question. Off limits and out the window.

Sasuke Uchiha started blankly out the frosted glass window of his father's black limo. His raven hair was spiked up and he was dressed in the finest tux avaliable. His mother and father were on either side of him, also dressed in fine cloths.

Today was the first day of school. The snooty private school his parents thought would, 'keep him out of trouble'. He breifly wondered if they knew more kids went bad in private school than in public?

" Are you ready Sweety?" His mother asked, her voice warm and cold at the same time.

_Not particulary._ He thought, then looked up at his mother. " Of course."

His father sent him a scolding look, " You're brother will show you around. You are to listen to him while you are here."

" Yes Father." He nodded, looking to the front of the limo again. Itachi, Itachi, Itachi. The _perfect_ older brother. In Sasuke's eyes, he was the worst.

They pulled up to the glossy entrance of a large white bricked school. It looked _too _white. Like, Mental Institution white. The limo pulled to a stop behind a white one and his mother got out of the car first. Sasuke followed and ignored all the instant squeals from the girls around them. His father steped out last and lead the way to the front entrance.

Sasuke's eyes wandered over the crowd of people, then found the trash section on the side. He spotted a shock of blonde hair and his lips twitched.

That dobe.

He turned back and followed his parents in to the school, that smelled like cleaning chemicals. The front office had an oak door and a very pretty lady behind the first desk. The name plate said Shizune.

" Hello. We've come to enroll our younger son." His mother stated.

Shizune nodded, pressed a button on her phone. " Tsunade? We have a new student. "

" _Great. Another brat_." A female voice muttered from the other line.

Sasuke had to bite back a retort and his father looked as though he might pop a blood vessel. " My son is not a brat."

" _Is he 17? Tall, dark and broody_?"

" Um...yea." Shizune said, studying Sasuke with warm eyes.

" _Then he's a brat._ "

Sasuke nodded, " It's alright father."

The older man nodded and Shizune handed them a clipboard and a pen. " Sign these papers. Umm..." She looked at Sasuke.

" Sasuke Uchiha." His mother said.

" Sasuke, would you like one of our students to show you around?" She asked, her smile much gentler then his mothers.

He nodded and she pressed another button. " Kakashi, send Sakura to the office please. We requier her assistance for a while."

" _Of course beautiful. _" Came a male's chuckle.

Shizune smiled, " Save it for Iruka, Hatake." and she let go of the button. The office door opened and a girl with pink hair and the schools blue skirt and white shirt steped in.

" Ah. Sakura." Shizune said, " This is Sasuke."

Her green eyes regonized him imediatly, but they showed nothing as she waved to Sasuke's parents and they steped into the hall.

They were silent for a time before she spoke up, " It's been a while."

He nodded, " Too long." his eyes took her in, she had gotten taller, only a few inches shorter than him. She used to be scrawny and short. " How's he doing?"

" He's by the trash pile. Wanna go see him?" She asked, a smile lighting up her face.

Sasuke tried not to nod eagerly and follow her out a side entrance. It didn't smell bad, probally because they used some kind of freshener.

Sakura sighed, " Naruto! Guess who I have with me."

There was a loud crash and a blonde boy in blue jeans and a t-shirt shot out from behind a large can. Shocking blue eyes widened as they landed on the dark-haired boy.

Sasuke's hands started shaking. How long had it been since he'd seen...talked to the boy infront of him? A week since they'd talked over Gaara's phone, but..months since they'd seen each other.

" Sasuke!" The blonde shouted, running and throwing his arms around the older boy. Sasuke had never hugged someone so hard in his entire life.

Naruto was crying, Sasuke could feel the tears aginst his neck. He really didn't care what the blonde was doing, he was here and that was all that mattered.

His best freind. His Rival. His...his everything. His reason for staying in this town, for staying with his parents.

" I missed you." Naruto muttered, sighing into the boys shoulder. Sasuke burried his nose in Naruto's hair and took note that Sakura's aunt had let him take a shower today. Knowing full well that Sasuke was coming.

" Likewise." Sasuke whispered.

" Okay." Sakura claped her hands together. " I still need to show him around. We'll see you later K Naruto?"

The blonde nodded and let go of the dark-haired teen. Sasuke's hand lingered on his cheek a second longer before his turned and followed Sakura into the school again.

After the tour was finished, they returned to the front office and met Tsunade, who seemed to be having trouble with Sasuke's parents.

" He should be put in honor classes." His father snapped, " He is less talented than Itachi, but still decent."

Sasuke's fists clenched and relaxed slightly when Sakura squeazed his forearm. " Should I head back to class Tsunade?"

" Sasuke will be in your class. Take him there." Tsunade said, waving them off. " I'll deal with dumb and dumber."

Sasuke's parents made gasping sounds as Sakura and Sasuke walked out of the office laughing.

---------------------------------------------------------

" Little brother, You look down." That smooth voice made Sasuke's shouders tense and his fingers freeze over his laptop.

" Aniki, get out of my room."

" I've come to fetch a shirt if you don't mind." Itachi tugged at the pony-tail that was over his shoulder. " I can not seem to find anything in my closet to fit the occasion."

_I wonder why,_ Sasuke thought rolling his eyes, " You don't fit in my cloths Itachi."

" I can try. Come now, you can spare a shirt for your older brother." Itachi teased, making Sasuke spin in the rolling chair.

" Where are you even going?"

Itachi's red-ish black eyes narrowed at Sasuke's closet. " Father arranged for me to meet with a girl from another family."

Sasuke winced, thier father seemed too fond of trying to marry them both off. Sasuke had refused, his heart already belonged to someone else. Oh, but he'd never tell his family.

He wasn't so sure about Itachi though. Did he have someone, or was he just irritated that his father was choosing his brides?

" Go on." Sasuke sighed motioning to his closet. " Take it, then leave. I want it washed and returned the way you take it out of this room."

" Of course." Itachi nodded, begining to dig through the closet.

Sasuke turned back to the computer and started typing the report to his father that he needed to write. Why did he have to pay for what Tsuande did?

Well, that's just how his screwed up family worked.

TBC

Angel: Hey, I started it. I really shouldn't post an new story, but hey. I can't get any ideas for my other one's right now. i've been jotting down ideas all week. Be patient. And don't kill me. I didn't get many review to tell me to do it, but a fan from Summer in the South, PirateCaptainBo, put in bold letters that they wanted a full story. So, me, being the pushover that I am, posted this.

Hope you enjoyed.

Blessed be,

Angel


	3. The Unwanted One

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_It's goodbye  
But we got one more night_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Two

_The Unwanted One_

So yea, it kinda sucked to be him.

The loser. The dead last. The orphan.

Yea, life was such a feild of daisies.

He put his chin in his hand as he watched the city lights of New York flash on and off through the night. Sure, Sakura was really nice and her aunt was even better. But to tell the truth, he much prefered Sasuke's company.

But his parents were such tightwads, there was no way he'd ever get close enough to Sasuke. Not with those creatures as parents.

Anyway. His eyes fell on the school behind him and sighed. He's kill to be in a school like that. Any school really, even Gaara, an outcast, went to school. And the guy didn't even want to learn anything, he was smart with brains.

Naruto just had common sense. And almost none of that, what he learned was leftover from Gaara and Sakura's homework and tests. And a new program on a tv that he peeked in on.

All in all, he was alone in the world. Simple as that, well, at least that's how he felt till about 10 that morning. When he'd seen his dark-haired freind standing in the middle of a trash alley.

Just to see _him_.

Naruto.

And to tell the truth, Sasuke was the only one that Naruto could tolorate calling him a dead last. It was almost like a pet name.

That made him smile.

Sasuke Uchiha? Giving pet names?

Pigs would fly before that would happen.

He leaned back aginst the billboard that had an add for a new car. On warm nights, he'd come up here to think, to dream about a life with a family, a home.

School.

Man, most of you kids reading this think, hey I HATE school. Well fuck you. Naruto _wanted_ to go to school, to have a large group of freinds who would joke around with him. It's not like he didn't have that with Gaara, but the red-head wasn't always in the best of shape to be messed with.

A car honked below him and he looked over the edge of the metal rungs. It was a long drop down and there was a dark figure standing beneath the sign.

The bright yellow of a flashlight blinded him momentarily. " Hey kid! Get down from there!"

" Shit!" Naruto gasped, standing up and rushing to the other end of the metal walkway. His eyes searched the trees, looking for a stable branch to hop onto. Oh yea, he had a death wish.

" KID! Get down here now!"

" Sure thing officer!" He called, taking in a deep breath, ready to hop down into a waiting darkness. Yea, death seemed much better than what he had to go through tomorow and the next day and the next day.

But, just as he was steping his foot off the edge, he froze. An image, just a flash, passed infront of his eyes. Of a dark-haired boy, with equally dark eyes.

What about Sasuke?

What would the boy do when he was gone? Did he even care if Naruto was gone? If he took this jump, would Sasuke cry for him?

" Oh fuck! Kid! I need backup! He's about to fucking jump!" The officer yelled into a walkie talkie. " Get me backup NOW!"

Blue eyes lowered to the ground, it finally coming into focus. Could he really do this...?

His foot moved to where it was suspended in midair, he leaned forward...and two arms seized him from behind and brought him back.

To say he didn't struggle would have been a lie. He kicked and bite and punched. Sasuke's name coming out in broken syllables. If only he'd steped a minute sooner, it would have been over.

But no, Sasuke had to pop into his head.

The officer fought back, and the sound of sirens in the background made him cry out the Uchiha's name in pain.

---------------------------------------------

The lights were bright and hurt his already sensitive eyes. There were low voices around him and he hoped they wern't the assholes who had gotten ahold of him the other day.

Yea, those wounds had taken a while to heal, hiding them from Sakura and Tsunade had been hard to do. Man, please don't be the Grater Gang...please oh please.

He cracked open his eyes and blinked, letting the white room come into focus. He was in a hospital room, someone was holding his hand and there was a woman in a white coat over him.

" Hey Kiddo, welcome back."

He shot up in the bed and gasped, looking around. Sakura was sitting in a recliner on the other side of the room, Gaara standing next to her.

Tsunade was talking to the doctor, who looked alittle like Sakura. His eyes fell to the hand that squeazed his own. It was pale, graceful looking hand and his eyes began to water as he looked up, taking in the watery version of Sasuke's face.

" What am I doing here?"

" The officer took you here, said you were screaming Sasuke's name." Sakura muttered.

" You almost jumped off the Wray street billboard Naruto!" Gaara hissed.

Blue eyes looked down, " I was tired. I wasn't thinking."

" Damn right you wern't thinking!" Sasuke snapped, " We could have lost you tonight!"

" Sorry." He muttered, soothed by Sasuke's long caresses from his thumb. " I just...can't take living the way I do. There's nothing..."

Sasuke moved to sit on the bed with him and slide an arm around his shoulder. " What about us?"

The blonde boy sniffled, and burried his face in Sasuke's chest, sobbing and clutching onto the dark-haired teen. Sakura walked over and joined in on the hug and Gaara, who normaly didn't do these types of things, laid a hand on the boy's shoulder.

" It's alright Naruto, we don't plan on leaving you anytime soon." Sakura muttered, rubbing a smooth hand up and down his back.

" We never said we didn't want you." Gaara stated firmly, " We've all offered you homes."

" I didn't." Sasuke whispered, " My parents wouldn't allow it."

" I understand that!" Naruto griped the Uchiha's shirt tighter, " It's not your fault, Any of you."

Sakura smiled and kissed his cheek, " Why don't I get my mom to fix you some food? You look starved."

A big grin spilt the blonde's face, " I am hungry. Have ya'll eaten?"

" Sasuke."

The stern voice made them all look up into the face of the young Uchiha's father. Sakura winced and Gaara's glare turned ice cold.

" Yes father?" Sasuke asked, keeping his arm around his freind.

" We gave you two hours already. Let's go." The voice was demanding and firm and Naruto wanted to rip the guys tounge out for ordering Sasuke around like that. He couldn't see how Sasuke could live with the man every day.

But when he thought about it, he'd bet Sasuke would give anything to be in Naruto's shoes. Isn't that what he'd said one time?

That he'd gladly take Naruto's place if only to get out of his hell hole of a home. If you could even call it a home. Heck, Sasuke had almost moved in with Naruto, but that had been 7 years ago.

" Can he stay Uchiha-sama?" Sakura's mom, who turned out to be the doctor Naruto had seen above him, asked, " It would be a shame if Naruto started calling out to him again."

" How do you know this filthy thing?" The man hissed, eyes narrowing at the boy in Sasuke's arms.

" We've been freinds for years." Naruto defended hottly, crossing his arms over his chest. Sasuke gave his shouler a squeeze.

" He's not filthy father, he's just homeless."

" That's his problem."

" Fugaku!" Sakura's mom hissed.

" Shut it Haruno." Fugaku snapped, making the woman silent. " Say your goodbyes and come with me. You have 2 minutes." The man walked out of the room, door slaming behind him.

" I'd call security, but i'm sure he'd just pay them off." Sakura sighed, " We'll call you if something happens."

Sasuke nodded and stood up, giving the blonde a hug before heading to the door. Naruto started to shake when the door shut again. He pulled the covers up to his mouth and hoped the feeling that Sasuke wasn't coming back faded away soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------

It still wouldn't go away. The shaking would get worse, then lessen, then get worse again. Sakura had eventually went to get him some water, but didn't ask what was wrong.

She probally already knew.

He put an arm under his head and turned to face the door. His head kept telling him to worry about what he'd do about the doctor bill and where he'd go after he was discharged. But instead, he kept wondering what was happening to Sasuke.

He couldn't sleep either, the shaking had begun to stop but the sleep wouldn't come. Deep down, he was scared that he'd call for Sasuke again and wake the whole floor.

Yea, that would get him sent to a mental institution.

A sigh escaped him as he closed his eyes and tried to imagine what it would be like with a family. It wouldn't come to him, it was like he couldn't even attempt at it.

The image wasn't clean enough to grasp.

Something made a crashing sound, then a grunt. His body went tense at the sound, was someone outside?

A curse followed another rustle and crash. Whoever it was was going to wake the whole damn hospital at this rate.

Naruto sat up slowly and faced the window, which was unlocked. _Well that couldn't be good_, he thought. A hand reached for the door and pushed it open.

Fear was the only thing that kept him from screaming his lungs raw. And that head of spiked black hair and dark eyes that lifted over the windowsill. His heartrate receded as he put a hand over his chest.

" Damnit Sasuke, you scared me." He muttered, climbing out of the bed and hoisting the boy throught the window.

" I wasn't sure if you'd scream or not, and i'm sure my father wouldn't want to be here at 4 in the morning." Sasuke sighed, pulling the leaves and twigs from his hair and clouths. " I feel like a teenage boy sneaking into his girlfreind window."

Naruto laughed and sat down on the bed again. " You look like one. What are you doing here?" His eyes caught the dark bruise on the older boys cheek as he sat down.

" Needed some fresh air." Sasuke muttered, flinching when Naruto's fingers skimmed his cheek.

" What happened?"

" It's you i'm worried about. " Sasuke sighed, pushing the hand away. " I want to know what was going on in that head of yours when you tried to jump."

" You were." Naruto whispered, eyes lowering to the floor.

Obsidian eyes widened, " I'm the reason you wanted to jump?"

Naruto gasped, " No! No! No! You're the reason I didn't want to jump. I would have, if I hadn't seen you at that school, I probally would have."

Sasuke nodded, then pushed the boy to lay down and slide in beside him. The blonde boy looked startled, but relaxed when the older boy wraped his arms around him.

His body fell into a dreamless sleep and a lazy smile graced his lips. So this was why he couldn't see that image. Sasuke was his family, and Sakura and Gaara.

He fell asleep soon after that notion, the only thing heard was the synchronization of thier heartbeats.

TBC

Angel: The first four chapters are kind of introductions. I have the names for all the chapters all planed out! It's gonna be great! XD Was this chapter good? o.O I wasn't sure if It was good enought to post, but I felt I needed to post it soon.

And yea, I said I wasn't going to do it till after Summer in the South, but the damn story kipt kicking at me till I couldn't ignore it anylonger. -sighs- so, here it is.

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be,

Angel


	4. The Plastic One

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Let's get drunk and ride around  
And make peace with an empty town  
We can make it right_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Two

_The Plastic One_

The busy sounds of chair scraping and loud voices made her sea-foam green eyes blink open. What she saw first was an exahusted Gaara, asleep in a chair across the room. She breifly relived the nights adventures and put a hand to her head.

Had she brought Naruto the water she promised him? Man, she had a terriable headache. She sat up slowly and felt the blanket her mother had covered her with, slide down her arms.

They had stayed up till around 2 before Naruto's shaking had subsided. Gaara had gotten a rather graphic call from his sister, but he wasn't leaving Naruto alone.

A smile flickered over her face as she thought back to the water. Yea, she had brought it to the room, but not to Naruto. He had finally gone to sleep.

In the arms of a very nervous-looking Uchiha.

He' turned his head to her when she'd opened the door and managed a weak smile. Knowing he'd get one hell of a lecture when he parents or worse, Itachi, found his bed empty.

She had just gave a small wave, then shut the door softly and headed to the Lounge for some well needed sleep for school in the morning.

Oh Shit! School!

Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall and sank back into the couch in relif. It was hardly 6, she had time to get ready, but her fatigue would show.

She stood up and started for the attatched bathroom and got some suplies from her purse and began the proccess of making herself up. It made her finch when she put on the base and powder. It felt as though she was covering up herself.

Which, in a way, was true. At school, she was the perfect, polished straight-A student without a speck of dirt on her record. But with the three boys, she was like a whole diffrent person. Brave, sarcastic, rude and had one hell of an attitude.

She chuckled and could almost see the horror on some of her 'friends' faces if they saw what she acted like with Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke.

" Getting all dolled up for school?" Gaara's groggy voice muttered from behind her. She glanced back and rolled her eyes, not answering and apling the eyeliner. " Sakura?"

She sighed, twisted the cap so the black stick would dissapear. " I have a reputation to protect, I can't mope around because I didn't get much sleep."

" You slept like a rock when you found out Sasuke was watching Naruto." He said, putting his hands under the running water, then pushing the fingers through his unruly hair.

" I slept for hardly an hour and a half." She sighed, smoothing out her hair with a few brush strokes, " You should start getting ready soon. I'll wake up Sasuke."

" No. You finish getting ready and eat something. " He put a hand on her shoulder when she tried to leave, " I'll wake them up."

Her eyes scanned him slowly, then drifted to the hand on her shoulder. He lifted it off fast and headed out the door. She stared at it for a good minute or so before returning into the bathroom to fix the bags under her eyes.

Her mother was waiting outside the door along with Sasuke, who was dressed in his new uniform. Gaara was still in the cloths he'd worn to school yesterday, but didn't really seem to care much.

" Ready to go dear?" Ms. Haruno asked, digging in her purse for her keys. She plucked them out and smiled at the three boys, " I'll try to keep him in here till you three get out of school."

" Good idea." Sakura smiled back at her mom, " He might try to escape. lock the windows."

" Wise woman." Sasuke smirked as they started down the hall and out the hospital's front sliding doors. They all climbed into her red mini van and started off for school.

Gaara was dropped off first. He didn't look at all please when people started whispering about the cloths he was wearing.

Sakura steped out of the car and helped him get his bag out of the back. She gave him a reasuring smile, then kissed him on the cheek.

Sasuke was laughing in the backseat while Gaara, who tried very hard mind you, to keep a strait face. The kids in the courtyard gave resounding gasps and let him be.

Last stop was their school. The front courtyard was full of people dressed in uniforms.

" They look like soldiers." Sasuke muttered, lifting an eyebrow, letting Sakura climb out of the van first.

She put on a very fake smile and turned to the crowd. People greeted her insantly and ran over, giving her hugs and boys giving her gifts.

And boy did she try to ignore Sasuke's eyes on her back.

" Whoa. Who's the cutie?" A blonde girl asked, putting a hand on her hip. Another girl with brown hair in two buns walked up as well.

" That's a spicy one Sakura."

" Ino, Tenten. This is Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura introduced as Sasuke just nodded and looked away. It was so obvious that he had no interest in them. She smirked inwardly, oh she knew where is loyalties lay.

" Wow. He your boyfreind?" Ino asked, her eyes flickering with a raging jealousy.

" Uhh...No." Sakura laughed, the sound strained, " I don't have one."

Sasuke's lips quirked, " She turned me down."

Sakura spun around and gaped at him, " I beg your pardon?"

The Uchiha put his hands in his pockets, but his eyes asked her to play along. _With what?_ She growled inside her head. _Play along with WHAT?!_

He lifted an eyebrow, then looked back at her freinds. It was obvious that if Sakura couldn't have him, then that ment that they had a chance.

Sakura knew his game now. Clever boy.

" Can you excuse us Sasuke?" Tenten asked, grabing Sakura by the arms and pulling her near a large tree. " I can't belive you!"

" Set me up with him!" Ino grabed her other arm, tugging at it.

Sakura blinked, " Oh, well, I don't know him that well..."

" Oh pleeasse!" Ino begged, Tenten rolled her eyes and shoved the blonde girl over.

" come one Sakura, pick one of us, Which one would he go for?" Tenten asked, lifting a hand and posing. Man, Sakura wanted to burst out laughing. Sasuke wouldn't go for either of them! He was so obviously infatuated with Naruto.

" I'm not sure. You'll have to get to know him first." Sakura shrugged, " I'm not sure which one he'd go for. You're both very pretty." Her inner Sakura started gagging.

They returned to the bored-looking Sasuke, who exchanged a glance with Sakura.

Knowing that things would not be alright.

-------------------------------------------------------

Sakura took a seat at her chair in the front of the class. She pulled out her homework and listened to the gossip going on around her. People would smile and wave at her, some trying so hard to be her freind. In this world, she was the celbrity.

She was the obsession of half the student body, all because of her grades and good looks. Sasuke wasn't in this class with her unfortuantly. So she was a one-man team at the moment, trying to ignore Ino's loud declarations of love for Sasuke.

" Oh My God! You saw the new guy right?" A girl hissed.

" Yea, Sakura knows him!"

" Lucky girl!"

" You think we'd have a change with him?"

Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes and started writing again. The door opened slowly and Kakashi walked in, orange book infront of his face.

The class all sent him glares.

" Sorry I'm late, I had to rescue a tired Dolphin."

" LAIR!" The class shouted.

All except Sakura, who smirked at him and mouthed, ' Rescue my ass, perv.'

He sent her a wink, then took a seat behind his desk and starte ordering them to take out thier textbooks. Sakura bent over her work, just as a note sliped onto her desk.

_He asked me out. Ino_

Sakura lifted an eyebrow and wrote back. _Who?_

_Sasuke duh._

Panic lite up like a fire inside of her, anger, pain. How could Sasuke do that? _Wow. Sounds cool, wut did you say?_

_I said yes stupid!_

She fought the tears. How would Naruto take this news? How could...how could Sasuke turn on her so fast?

Her hand shook as she wrote back, _That's great. _

_Are you okay? You look pale._

_I'm fine._

_Wuteva ya say girl._

Sakura ended the note passing by shoving the paper into her notebook just as the lunch bell went off. The only good thing about this school, was once you were a junior, you had the choice to eat at school or go out.

Hospital food sounded much better than the crap they fed them here.

So that's where she headed, not even looking back to see if Sasuke wanted to drag along.

-------------------------------------

Gaara was already in Naruto's room when she got there. They were playing what looked like a poker game, with needles as thier chips.

She smiled and walked in, slumping onto the couch next to Gaara. " Afternoon boys."

" You okay Sakura?" Naruto asked, his eyes worried, " You look sad."

" Long day. Rough nite." She smiled weakly at Gaara, who put an arm over her shoulders.

" Sorry." Naruto muttered, " If Sasuke had come here earlier than..." Both boys watched the flash in her eyes at the Uchiha's name.

" What did he do now?" Gaara muttered.

She shook her head and wiped away the oncoming tears. " It's nothing, he's just being a jerk."

" That Teme! He made fun of you're hair color again didn't he?" Naruto huffed, " I'm gonna kill him."

" He's dating Ino." Sakura burst out.

Gaara looked as though someone had socked him with a hammer. " He's _what?_"

She closed her eyes after seeing Naruto's horrified face. How would she get that image out of her head? She had been so sure that Sasuke...

Her cell went off and she picked it up, " Yea? Oh hi Ino."

Her eyes lowered, " No, I'm eating elsewhere. Have fun...is Sasuke there?"

There was a short wait before she heard the Uchiha's short and sweet 'what?'

" YOU ASSHOLE!" She snarled, shutting the phone and throwing it across the room. It shattered and fell the the ground in a heap.

" Umm...Sakura...you're not the one he's hurt." Gaara whispered, looking over at Naruto, who was clenching the sheets in his hands, tears forming in his eyes.

" I know...but he's hurting Naruto...it's not fair!" She rushed over to Naruto, who had finnally broken down.

Gaara's cell went off and he glared at the number, then answered, " What?" His eyes narrowed, " You're sure?"

His eyes lifted to take in Sakura and Naruto's figures. " Yea, sure, I'll be there in a few." He hung up, said his goodbyes and left the room.

Sakura let out a sigh when she looked at the clock, it was time to head back to class. She stood up, kissed the blonde's cheek and rushed out, hailing a taxi.

Once back at the school, she climbed out of the cab and plastered the fake smile back on. It was time to keep the routine going.

TBC

Angel: Her story wasn't all that bad...well...it get's worse. I'm not introducing her REAL problem yet. It's not quite the time yet.

So...I hope you enjoyed.

Blessed be,

Angel


	5. The Abused One

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Two

_The Abused One_

He didn't seem all too eager to wake up in the morning either. So, he could understand how sleepy Sakura had felt.

Now, he'd never admit it, but he'd almost had a heartattack when Sakura had called that night. He had just stepped onto his front porch for the night and was relived, not for Naruto, but for himself as he's dashed to the hospital.

Sakura was always full of suprises and he'd seen the way she acted with her 'friends' at school. She wasn't excatly...herself.

But his main concern at this moment, was to kick Sasuke's ass for making Sakura mad and Naruto upset. It's bad enough the boy tried to jump off a billboard sign the night before. Why make him jump out the 5th floor window?!

His teal eyes scanned the area in which Sasuke had told him to meet him. It was the trashy part of the city, being as they didn't excatly live IN New York, they lived on the outskirts. But this place...was only three streets away from where he lived with him Father and two sibling.

" Gaara?" Sasuke's voice asked as the Uchiha stepped out from the small dinner next to where he was standing.

Gaara's eyes narrowed as he grabbed a fist full of Sasuke's shirt and shoved him up aginst the alley wall. " How _dare_ you!"

" What the hell are you talking about?!" Sasuke hissed, shoving the hand away, only to have it connect with his cheek. " Fuck Sabaku!"

" That was for making Naruto cry again." Gaara snarled, then socked him again in the stomach, making the older boy groan, but that was all. " And that was for making Sakura cry."

" I'm not dating Ino because I like her you twit!" Sasuke snapped, shoving the red-head away. " She knows the assholes who keep roughing Naruto up!"

Gaara's fist stoped in mid-air, almost connecting with a thrid blow. " Who?"

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, " They call themselves the Grater Gang. Ino says they come to this alley alot to rough up some blonde kid. She even helps." He winced, " you honestly thought i'd go out with a girl?"

Gaara shrugged and looked around the Alley, spotting a large cardboard box that had a few sheets and food tucked in it. " Why would Naruto be around this part of town anyways?"

" He lived here." Sasuke muttered.

" Where?" Gaara asked.

Sasuke nodded to the box. " There."

Gaara's jaw dropped, then looked back at Sasuke, who's eyes had grown dark and sober. It probally killed the boy inside to see the hovel his best friend lived in. And not being able to do a thing about it.

" So...we're waiting for this gang?" Gaara asked, trying to turn to Uchiha's eys back to thier normal cold color.

" Yea." Sasuke stated, shoving his hands in his pockets. " Ino said she's meet me here. "

" Awesome." Gaara smirked, cracking his knuckles, " I've been itching for a fight."

-------------------------------------------------------------

It was near 10 o'clock when the loud laughter of male voices filled the dark alley. Gaara lifted his head, eyes scanning in the darkness as a flashlight flashed at the box.

" Hey freak, you home?" The leader, who seemed to have peircings everywhere, snickered. His freind with the multicolored tattoo's laughed and brought a bottle of booze up to his lips.

" Looks like he forgot about pay day." A red-haired chick snickered.

" He's at the hospital." Ino snorted, planting gloved hands on short-skirted hips.

" Which one?" The leader asked.

" You boys aren't gonna be alive long enough to find out." Came Gaara's growl from behind them. They all whirled around, just as Sasuke steped up behind Gaara.

" Sasuke!" Ino gasped, " What are you..."

Gaara's eyes were slits, fist clenched, " You messed with the wrong orphan."

" Oh and you two prissy punks are gonna stop us?" The tattooed one snorted, crashing the beer bottle aginst the wall and bringing back a sharp peice of glass infront of him. " Let's see you try."

Gaara attacked first, connecting his fist with the leaders right jaw, making the guy yelp. Sasuke took after the tattoo'ed one, swinging a leg out and kicking the glass across the alley, but succeeding in cutting his leg.

The two girls shrieked and started running for the exit of the Alley, but Sasuke got thier first. " Ah. Ah. Ladies. This is as much your fault as it is thiers."

Ino gasped, " Sasuke! I trusted you!"

Dark eyes narrowed, " I didn't think you went as low as to beat up homeless people."

" He likes it!" The leader hissed.

" Like hell he does!" Gaara snarled, left hooking the guy. But the leader pulled out a pocket knife and slit a clean cut down Gaara's left arm. " Shit!"

Sasuke wasn't sure if they should continue this fight. It was well past 11 now and Gaara needed to get home tonight. " Gaara! Let's go!"

Gaara's eyes flickered to his watched, " Crap!" They dashed for the exit and sped around the corner the Grater Gang hot on thier tails.

" How do we lose them?" Sasuke shouted, his feet beating down aginst the pavement.

" Once go to the first hospital, we'll leave them off thinking that's the one he's at. We'll sneak out the back and head off to the real one."

" Right."

They slide into the Worthright Memorial Hospital and shot through the lobby, getting angry hollors and yells from the nurses. But the loudest were for the Grater Gang.

A doctor almost caught them as the sped to the back exit and slide out as he threatened to call the police. The arrived at the right hospital in alomst 10 min after catching a cab.

Sakura's mom was at the front desk. " Sasuke?! Gaara?!"

" Is Naruto still here?" Sasuke asked, " Please tell me he's still here."

" Of course. Sakura's up there with him...and Gaara, Temari called to tell you, you had to come home." She whispered, laying a hand on his shoulder.

" I know." He nodded, following Sasuke up the elevator.

Sakura was sitting on the bed with Naruto, playing checkers. They looked up when Sasuke and Gaara walked into the room.

" Bastard!" Sakura shouted, " How can you...Oh my God!"

Sasuke wraped an arm around his stomach, hoping that Sakura would make Gaara's bruise worse. She went to Gaara and took in his arm and bruised eye. " What happened?"

" We started a fight."

" Correction. " Sasuke hissed, " You went for them first."

" It was your idea to rough them up." Gaara snapped.

Sasuke ploped into a chair and brooded, afraid to look at his blonde freind. " Are you alright?" Naruto's voice whispered.

" It's just a few brusies. Most of them Gaara's." Sasuke muttered.

" Good job Gaara, now why did you help him?" Sakura hissed, advancing for the Uchiha, who didn't seem to be moving anytime soon.

" I wasn't dating her because I liked her." the Uchiha sighed, shoving a hand through his hair, " Ino said some gang was beating up Naruto...so I asked her out to meet this gang."

Sakura froze in her spot, then looked at Naruto, who's eyes were wide and staring at the older boy. " Naruto...is this true?"

" Why did you go after them you bastard?!" Naruto snarled, standing up and slapping a hand across the boys cheek. " I don't need you're help!"

Sasuke stood up fast and grabed both of Naruto's hand before either could hit him again. " I did it for you! We did it for you!"

" I DON"T NEED YOU!" Naruto snarled, struggling in the Uchiha's grasp. " LET ME GO!"

Gaara could tell Sasuke was close...oh so close...to confessing right then and there. It was almost out of his mouth, but instead, he let the boy go. Naruto stummbled back staring at the dark-haired teen. Sasuke ripped something off his neck and threw it to the ground, storming out of the room.

Gaara and Sakura both looked down, staring at the silver chain that had a crecent-shaped moon as the pendant. Naruto's eyes began to water.

Gaara and Sakura thought it best to just leave him alone tonight.

-------------------------------------------

For a full 30 seconds he was almost sure his father wasn't home. He managed to sneak up the stairs and into his dark-walled room without waking up Temari, his elder sister, across the hall. Or Kankuro, who was most likey out with some hooker chick on the streets.

He switched his phone to vibrate, so if anyone called his ringer wouldn't wake the whole house. The window was opened, from his preivious sneaking out, so he closed it. There was no way he'd freeze his butt off tonight.

All he wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep, even though he didn't really need or want it. But his body was protesting greatly, so he climbed in.

Then his door flew open, a towering man stood in the doorway, a bottle of clear vodka in his left hand. " You're home late boy!"

Gaara sat up in the bed and stared emotionlessly at his father. " Sorry."

" Got in another fight?" The man started walking forward, and Gaara swallowed the fear down like a bad lunch. He was used to this routine.

" No."

The fist that connected with his face hurt far worse than what the Grater's leader had. It sent him reeling aginst the wall behind him, blood trickling from his mouth. " Don't lie to me boy!"

Gaara turned his worst glare his fathers way and only thrown off the bed with a hard kick to the side. He swore he heard a rib crack.

The beating went on and on...the blood. The pain coursing through him like a flood. He took it like he did everytime this happened. Passivly and on the floor beneath his bastard of a father.

And his sister barley glanced thier way when she went to the bathroom.

Gaara let him go on.

Things sucked enough already with his freinds. What was a little more pain?

To be continued...

Angel: I've never written a child abuse chapter, as I hate even the thought of it. Was it good? Working on Summer in the South.

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be,

Angel


	6. Kidnapped

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Six

_Kidnapped_

The pencil in her hand was tapping insistantly aginst the top of her desk. Her eyes drifted up the the dry erase board that Kakashi was writing on.

He seemed to know she was looking at him, because he glanced back at her. He raised an eyebrow at her and she just shook her head. In fact, she hadn't even felt like telling her mother what had happened in Naruto's room.

She looked at the clock, her mother should be letting him sign out now. No clue where he'd go though. Green eyes dropped to the still blank paper on her desk. He should have been a little more considerate, Sasuke had went to help him and Naruto had thrown it back in his face.

And she hadn't even gotten a call from Gaara. She hoped to God that he was still alive. Being as their social status was different, very differnt. She couldn't just walk downtown and hope she didn't get jumped.

And there was no way she was dressing trashy...

But if he wasn't alright...

Her head hit the desk and she groaned.

" Are you alright Miss Haruno?" Kakshi asked, pausing with his hand in the air. The class had thier eyes on Sakura, who noted that Ino looked like she'd been crying.

" I'm fine." she laughed nervously, waving her hand slightly, " Long night."

" You seem to be having alot of those lately." Tenten snorted, looking back at Ino. " Been sleeping around with Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sakura's jaw dropped, " I beg your pardon?"

" Ino said Sasuke broke up with her the other night. " Another girl stated, " We all figured that you got ahold of him."

" Why would I want Uchiha?" Sasuke asked, keeping her calm on, but man she wanted to beat every damn kid in here to oblivion. " I havn't slept with anyone."

" But you always get what you want." Tenten snapped, " I've seen the way you look at him."

Sakura's eyes dulled, " I look at him?"

" Yea, you both send these signals to each other." Tenten said, huffing.

Those weren't love signals you morons! She wanted to shout and beat her fist aginst the desk. But instead, she calmly started coping the notes she had forgotten about. " Get your fact right and your eyes checked. I look at no one."

_Liar_. The voice in her head whispered. Of course you look at someone.

--------------------------------------------

Iruka rubbed a soothing hand down a crying boys back. His dark brown eyes glanced over at the clock, wondering how long the boy had been crying.

It seemed like he didn't want to stop. Years worth of pain behind those watery eyes. " Ready to tell me what happened?"

The boy sniffled, rubbed his eyes dry, or well...he tried to. Then pulled the necklace out of his pocket. Irkua covered his mouth, it was the chain that he had bought for Naruto to give to Sasuke. Naruto had a sun on his.

" He...he..." Naruto hicupped. " He was messing in my business."

Iruka rubbed a hand over the boys unruly blonde locks, " Mabye he was protecting you. Sasuke cares about you too much to do something that would make things worse. He just wants you to feel safe, because he can't be with you as much as he wants to."

" B-but...why did he throw it at me?" Blue eyes closed as the tears started again, " Does this mean he dosn't want me anymore?"

Iruka didn't reply. He didn't know how Sasuke was doing, or what the young Uchiha was feeling. Sakura had just smiled at him when he'd asked if Sasuke was holding up. Gaara hadn't even contacted any of them.

His eyes fell back to the crying boy. How could 4 teen, so different from one another, be such close freinds? How could anyone outside thier world want to shatter thier bond?

Anyone who knew would try it. Keep to what you know, never stray beyond those boundries, or someone will find a way to pull you back.

At any cost.

" Mabye you should find him and apologize?" Iruka sugested, " I can take you to his school."

" No!" Naruto cried, " I don't want anyone to see him with me!"

" And why not?" Iruka gasped, " I can dress you up..."

" No...mabye I should start from the begining." He muttered, and Iruka nodded.

As Naruto told of what had happened, knowing Iruka's facial expressions from agner, to dissapointment, to hurt, and then to worried. As long as the story was, Iruka didn't seem to mind at all, he listened and nodded.

" Then all the more reason to go." Iruka stood up and set the boy on his feet. " Tsuande won't mind a visit."

" But...Sasuke will lose his reputation if people find out he knows me!"

" If Sasuke really cares about you, I don't think he'll mind."

-----------------------------------------------------

If you thought his heart was broken before when Sakura had called him an 'asshole' on the phone and heard Naruto crying, it was pretty much shattered now.

Sasuke couldn't even begin to describe how bad he felt, losing sleep over the fact that he may never talk to the blonde again. His fingers went to his neck. It felt so light without the necklace around it.

When he felt bad, all he had to do was rub it between his fingers and think of the person who had grinned stupidly when he'd given it to him. It didn't help that rumor was going around that he was sleeping with Sakura and that was the reason Ino and him had broken it off.

He wasn't sleeping with anyone.

The first lunch bell rang and he sighed, Sakura would be geting out now. Hopefuly, she'd find away to contact Gaara.

No one had heard from him all day. Nor last night.

His teacher was rambling on passivly about the solar system and how it affected our studies today. His eyes moved to look out the window to his left. There was fimiliar car parked in the teachers lot.

His eyes narrowed, Didn't Iruka have the day off today? He mentaly shrugged it off, mabye he had things to pick up. God knows the man was a work-a-holic. Only Kakashi could get him to slow it down a bit.

The class all looked up when the sound of running footsteps started echoing down the hallway. It was getting closer and closer to thier room.

Someone was shouting for someone to slow the heck down. Some of the students in the class stood up, ready to bolt for the door to see what the ruckus was about. The teacher got thier first, opening the door and screaching when someone pushed past her.

Sasuke's eyes got wide and he seemed to freeze as he took in the now clean form of Naruto. He was dressed in kacky slacks and a red t-shirt. Blue eyes locked straight on him as he advanced forward and stoped about three feet from his desk.

" I'm really sorry!" His head bowed. " I didn't mean to yell at you...and I should have been happy that you cared enough to help me!"

Dark eyes scanned him slowly as the Uchiha stood up. Whispers broke out around the room. What would Sasuke do to the poor boy? Being from such a stern family, would he beat him? Was the boy a slave that disobeyed?

Oh but no one would have guessed that Sasuke would pull the boy into a tight hug with his head burried in blonde hair. Naruto let out a loud gasp, eyeing the gaping faces around them. What was Sasuke doing? His classmates were looking at them, didn't he want a better rep than that? A dirty orphaned boy in his arms.

" I was just protecting you." Sasuke muttered, his arms tightening around him. " If I woke up one day and realized you weren't there...I'd lose it."

Blue eyes began to water again and he returned the hug, mabye even tighter than thier first embrace. " I thought you wouldn't speak to me again."

The Uchiha chuckled and he pulled away from the boy, pressing thier foreheads together. " You can't get rid of me that easily."

" Take it back." Naruto shoved his hand in his pocket and handed the dark-haired teen the necklace. Sasuke lifted an eyebrown and took it, hooking it around his neck.

" You're a dobe."

" And you're a Teme." Naruto smiled, punching the boy in the arm playfully.

" Alright boys." Iruka clapped, " Class needs to be resumed." He'd had a little talk with a very angry teacher, who seemed calmer now. " Let's go." He would have said the boys name, but the class would find someway to find him and beat him up.

Sasuke watched the blonde run over to Iruka and they left. He sat back down, ignoring the eyes looking at him. Right now, this moment...was worth the public watching.

--------------------------------------------

Now, mabye she should have changed her clouths before she'd started to walk downtown. Or better, mabye she should have taken a cab. Or better yet, gotten Sasuke to drive her.

Yea, the boy was sad enough as it was. Like he needed Gaara's problems as well.

Her eyes darted around to a dripping pipe and she pulled her coat tighter over her shirt. But man, she was wearing a damn skirt!

" Hey there sweetie."

She swung her head around and came face to face with a large man. He had dark hair and black clouthes. In his hand was a six-pack of beer. " Lost darling?"

" N-no sir. I'm just going to see a freind."

" Why don't I help you get there?" His smile was perverse and she didn't like it. Damn, were was her tough-girl side when she needed it? Oh yea, it only showed around her freinds.

" No thank you. I'm fine."

His eyes narrowed dangerouly. " Wrong answer."

The scream was barely out of her mouth when he swung the six-pack at her head.

_To be continued..._

Angel: DON'T hit me! Please don't hit me! I'm sorry, but I had to stop somewhere! Now, Summer in the South will have some delays. Due to the fact that it's written...but on the computer at my grandmothers house. As soon as I get there, I WILL post it. I PROMISE. So sorry.

Blessed be,

Angel


	7. Rules Matter Most

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Tonight will change our lives  
It's so good to be by your side_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Seven

_Rules Matter Most_

The throbbing in her head made her groan slightly. She lifted a hand to the side of her head and almost gapsed at the wet feeling

She was bleeding!

That asshole had socked her with a six pack of booze. Her eyes cracked open slowly and took in the small area that she was in. Judging by the darkness, the metal and the musty smell.

She was in the trunk of a car.

Oh _great_. He was going to suffocate her to death. Just what she needed!

It was then that she noticed the car wasn't moving. Mabye she could get out through the backseat? Her hands pushed aginst the backs and they didn't budge. She sighed and grunted when her head hit the top of the trunk.

" This SUCKS!"

The lid poped open and pitch darkness greeted her eyes. The man was looming over her a glare set on his face. _Well arn't you a scary one?_

His hands reached in and picked her up and she began to struggle. " Let me GO you creep! " She snarled, kicking aginst his legs and beating his arms. " YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

" Stop it bitch!" He snarled, his flat, heavy fist catching her windpipe. She hissed and chocked, her struggling residing to light curses. He unlocked the door to an old run-down apartment and steped inside.

" Kankuro! Get the duck tape!" the man shouted.

_Kankuro?_ Sakura thought, her eyebrows scrunched together trying to remember where she'd heard that name before. Then, a lightbulb went off in her head. _Was this Gaara's house?!_ Her heart started racing, _Oh God, Oh God, Oh God...where was he? Was he alright?_

A boy with raggy brown hair and alot of red and white paint on his face walked in with a roll of tape. Her eyes narrowed, " You think Duck tape is going to stop me from screaming?"

He shook her roughly and caught her hands. " No. We're going to tie you up and throw you in the basement." Kankuro snorted, pulling the tape off and wraping it around her wrists and ankles.

" Oh _wow_. Now I get to hop around? Joy." The sarcasum dripped like ice and gave her another rough shake. What? Did he think the shaking would make it fall out at her feet?

He was wrong.

And hitting the basement floor hurt like hell. She groaned and rested her head on the dirty floor. Hopefully, Sasuke or Naruto noticed that she hadn't come back from school, or her mother couldn't reach her cell.

But _no one_ would think to look downtown. Because to other people, she didn't know Gaara. They wouldn't think that she had the guts, being too prissy and plastic to go into the dirty part of New York to make sure he was okay.

So here she was.

Hopefully in Gaara's house, in his basement.

Where people die in horror movies.

_Wonderful_.

" Who goes?" The voice was hoarse and held an angry edge. She'd heard that cold voice before and she let out a sound of releif.

" Gaara?" She sounded close to tears and they burned in her throat. " Are you alright?"

" Sakura?!" There was shuffling of fabric and a candle was lite, Gaara's black and blue face shown to her eyes.

She managed a weak smile, " Fancy meeting you here."

" Oh God." He chocked, setting the candle by her head and starting to pull off the tape. " How did you get here?"

" Your father picked me up downtown...I came to see if you were alright." She muttered, rubbing her wrists as he moved to take the tape off her feet. " He socked me with a case of beer."

He shook his head and sighed, " You shouldn't have come."

" Why not? I was worried! We all were!" She hissed, sitting up and staring at him. He sat down next to her and sighed again.

" I didn't want him to get a hold of you three. " He muttered, " Sasuke and Naruto can hold thier own...but you..."

Her eyes narrowed, " What about me?"

" I didn't want you to come." He growled, " I don't need you."

Her palm connected with his cheek, but he didn't flinch. He knew she would do that, he'd known her long enough to know how she reacted to that. " Fine. Be that way. I don't need you either!"

She stood up and wobbled, not having stood in a few hours. The room tilted and her eyes blured, but only for a moment before it came back. Her hands met the wall and she started for the direction of where she'd been thrown from.

" What are you doing?" Gaara snorted.

" Looking for a way out stupid." She snapped, " Now shut up. I'm not talking to you."

Teal eyes rolled.

---------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke could hardly complain about staying over with Iruka and Naruto for the night. His father had to be convinced that it was a project, and his father had said it would be a one time thing.

" It's like he doesn't want you to have a social life." Naruto snorted, taking a warm cookie off the plate infront of him.

Saskue shrugged and eyed the cookies with distaste. He wasn't much for sweets...but Iruka's cooking always was good.

" I put splenda in the left half." Iruka whispered, nudging his shoulder, " Have a few."

He sighed and picked up a cookie, and instantly was grateful he did. Because Naruto sent him a wonderful smile.

" Want some milk?" Naruto asked, handing him a glass.

Sasuke shook his head, " No thanks. I'm not fond of it."

" Lactose and tollorent?" The blonde asked.

Iruka and Sasuke slapped thier foreheads, it wasn't the boys fault he didn't know how to say it...but at least he knew the meaning.

" No dobe. I just don't like it." Sasuke sighed, taking another cookie.

The phone rang an hour later and Iruka answered it. He stood there for a few miniutes, trying to calm down whoever was on the other end. Naruto stood up and walked over to the brown-haired man who hung up the phone.

" What's the matter? " Naruto asked, lifting an eyebrow.

" That sounded like Sakura's mom." Sasuke stated, eyes narrowing, " Did something happen?"

Iruka ran a hand through his hair, " Sakura didn't come home. It's past her curfew and Tsuande said she didn't check back in after lunch."

" What?!" Both boys shouted, grabing for thier coats.

" Where are you two going?" Iruka hissed, following them to the front door, " Don't you leave untill you tell me what the hell you two are doing!"

" We're going to all our hide outs." Sasuke snapped, " If she isn't there..."

" She's with Gaara." Naruto finished, " And that's somewhere she shouldn't be."

The door shut behind them and Iruka let out a sigh. Those four were so difficult to read sometimes. But if their bond was as strong as it lets on to be...and thier lives as complicated as they are now.

They may not be here for very much longer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

After two hours of searching for a damn door, she was out of luck. Where the hell was it?! This was a basement wasn't it?

Where the HELL was the door?

" You're not going to find it." Gaara sighed from his seat aginst the back wall. " It's a hidden door. Which means you can't _find_ it." He'd been telling her that for the past half hour. She was still ignoring him, so that ment what he was saying was getting through to her.

" You live here! Where is it?" She snapped, rounding on him.

He shrugged, " Why make my life worse by escaping? I get let off the hook easier just waiting for him to sober up."

" You live like this?" She hissed, eyes narrowing.

" So?" He asked, eyes shifting to the candle. " It's not like I have a choice. My brother's a sex addict and my sister couldn't care less about me. It's all in the rules."

" Rules?" Sakura asked, letting her anger subside and sitting next to him. " What rules?"

" Stay out of Dad's way, don't bother Kankuro about his skanky women, leave Temari to her studies. Beat Gaara up when your anger is at it's peak." He shrugged, " Rules."

" More like a lifestyle." She snorted.

" It's all I have."

Her eyes lowered to the floor. She shouldn't have gotten so mad at him. It wasn't his fault his father a was a drunk asshole and his siblings couldn't care less.

He looked terriable too. Dark brusies and angry red scrapes on his face and arms, he looked tired and hungry. How long had be been down her? Since last night? This morning?

" I'm so sorry." Her throat burned and water started forming behind her eyes. " I really am."

Teal eyes widened and his hand reached forward to touch her cheek. " For what? You've done nothing..."

" I yelled at you. I shouldn't be mad at you, you're hurt and tired." She pushed his hand away and burried her face in her pulled up knees. " It's not fair."

He studied her for a moment before moving closer to her and sliding a hand over her hair. Not sure what to say, he tugged at the long locks. " I thought you wanted to cut it."

" I keep putting it off. " She whispered, " I have rules too. Keep to what you know, don't stray from what you made of yourself. The perfect student, the perfect daughter, the prettiest girl."

" It would look better short." He muttered, watching as her head lifted and emerald eyes turned to him.

" Really?" she sniffled.

He nodded and slide his arm around her shoulders. She sighed and leaned aginst him, laying her head on her shoulder and praying that someone would find them.

Other than his father.

_To be continued..._

Angel: Whew. Sorry for the wait,needed to refresh my brain. Also, sorry for Summer in the South's lack of update. It's still at my grandmothers house. I should be going sometime this week to mow her grass, so i can touch it up and post it! I'd try to rewrite it from memory, but I have scenes in that version that need to stay the way I wrote them. So be patient please.

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be,

Angel


	8. The Agreement

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_But we'll cry  
We won't give up the fight_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Eight

_The Agreement_

They had searched every place they could. All their old and new hangouts, where they'd sneak out and TP random houses.

In disguise of course.

Naruto tugged at the collar of his shirt, " Why did we bring coats? It's 70 something degrees out here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, " In case their stuck in a freezer somewhere."

" Nice thinking. Postive and sooo you." Naruto snorted, eyes scanning the alley's they passed, " Don't you think she would have went to Gaara's?"

" That's on the other side of town." Sasuke snapped, " She wouldn't have walked through there without us."

" This is Sakura we're talking about here. If she really wanted to see if he was alright, then she would have gone." The blonde stated.

Sasuke glanced back at his blonde freind and sighed, " Let me call a cab." He lifted a hand to wave one down.

" Need a ride little brother?"

The voice made Sasuke's hand freeze in mid-air. Both boys spun around to see a tall man who resembaled Sasuke, but with longer hair and a tinge of red to his black eyes.

" No." Sasuke snapped, " We're fine."

" I know where Gaara's house is." Itachi said.

" So do we." Naruto hissed, " And we can get a cab and go there without you're help."

Itachi wasn't always the most...negotiable person. Being the sole heir to the Uchiha fortune, he wasn't Sasuke's favorite person either. Always sucking up to thier parents and surpassing everything Sasuke wished he could surpass.

" My cars faster."

" We said no."

" Do you want them out of that basement or not?" Itachi hissed.

Naruto gasped. " Thier in a basement?!

" Yes. Now get in the car!"

Both boys filed into the back of the black BMW and Itachi pulled out a cell phone. " Are you ready?"

There was a hesitant voice on the other line saying 'yes.'

" Good. You can do this alright? We should be there in 10 min tops. Sneak out the back with them." He hung up and looked back at his brother and freind. " ready?"

" Just go." Sasuke snapped.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

His eyes twitched at the aching feeling in his lower back and side. Sleeping aginst a wall with a girl aginst the side with broken ribs wasn't the best feeling in the world.

Untill he opened his eyes and saw the girl that was next to him.

Yea, the pain was defintly worth it.

He sighed and glanced at the now melted candle beside him. The wax was scattered on the floor like a puddle dried forever. The wick was gone now, no use trying to get it lite.

It should be near 3 now. Why didn't he keep sleeping? It sounded as though someone was up, please don't let it be his father.

Anyone but him.

Sakura didn't need to wake up to see him being beaten to a pulp. He didn't want to know what it looked like when he got beaten. It had to be bad, since the injuries afterwords felt like crap.

Sakura mummbled aginst his shoulder and slowly opened her eyes. " Gaara?"

" hm?" He asked, looking down at her.

She blinked the 4 hour rest out of her blurry eyes. " Still in a basement?"

" Yep. It's only about 3 in the morning." He sighed, " won't let us out till he either wakes up for work or after work. Depends on how bad you pissed him off."

She snorted, " All I did was say I didn't want his help. Asshole."

He chuckled slightly, " Did you go all 'Inner Sakura' on him?"

" No." She pouted, " I can only do that when you guys are around."

" Wow. I bet Sasuke and Naruto would love to hear that." He smirked, then froze when she put both her arms around his waist.

" I'm hungry. And you are too. So don't lie." Sakura stated firmly, eyes narrowing up at him, " You hardly ever eat."

" I do to." He glared, " It just never shows. What am I supposed to do? Yell at my metabolism?"

She smiled and shook her head, " Just checking. Don't get testy."

He rolled his eyes. She was so weird sometimes, but that was one of the reasons he had met her. If she hadn't been so wierd and random, then Naruto wouldn't have met her and introduced him to her. Long story. Don't ask.

It was another good 5 min before he heard the shuffling again. Sakura blinked and turned to him. " Who's up?"

" It could be Kankuro coming in from his nightime screws." He muttered, glancing at the ceiling. " But they're lighter footsteps...so it could be Temari."

" Oh." She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

" We'll get out one way or another." He assured, not all too fimilair with this. He'd always been down her alone, the darkness his companion. Now he had a pink-haired rebel girl wraped around him, he was hardly complianing, it was just a new feeling.

_" you have to be quiet...or you'll wake them._" The whispered voice came from the wall behind them. Sakura blinked and lifted her head.

There was a small creaking sound and the dimness of a streetlight flooded into the basement. Sakura gripped onto Gaara tighter, both of them hoping it wasn't his father.

But a blonde head poped around the corner and blue eyes brightened. " heeey. They're in here."

" Shut up dobe, she told us to be quiet."

Sakura gapsed. " Naruto, Sasuke!" She stood up and Gaara followed as well, dusting off his pants. Naruto gave the girl a crushing hug just as Itachi stepped into the room.

" What is he doing here?" Gaara asked, knowing that Sasuke wasn't fond of his older brother.

" He...made a deal with your sister." Sasuke stated, motioning to a sheepishly grinning Temari, who was on look-out duty.

" What kind of deal?" Sakura asked, her eyes narrowing at the elder girl.

" A date." Naruto smiled, " With Ino's boyfreind Shikamaru."

Sakura and Gaara exchanged looks, then turned back to the other four. " A date...with a taken man?" Sakura asked, " I don't need Ino accusing me of breaking her and Shikamaru up too."

" Wait a second." Sasuke snapped, " She was dating Shikamaru while with me?!"

Sakura and Temari's eyes dulled. " Duh."

" Slut." Naruto muttered crossing his arms over his chest.

" How do you plan on getting Shikamaru out of Ino's grasp?" Gaara asked, turning to the elder Uchiha. Itachi just smirked and shook his head.

" You need to get out of here!" Temari gasped.

" Temari?!" A mans voice boomed way too close for comfort. Sakura and Gaara scrambled out of the basement behind Sasuke and Naruto.

The blonde girl let out a strangled yell and hit the wall behind them. Sakura gasped and spun around. " Get out of here!" Temari shouted, standing up again and blocking thier dad again as he started yelling and going after the retreating kids.

" What are you doing girl?!" He snarled, " They're getting away!"

Temari looked back as Itachi pushed everyone into the car. Her eyes narrowed as he rounded the car,

" We had an agreement Itachi Uchiha! Don't you forget it!"

Narrowed red eyes met her own blue ones. " I've never broken a promise."

" Temari!" Gaara called out.

" Get as far away from here as you can little brother!" Temari shouted, " I'm sorry!"

The car sped off into the distance just as the man grabbed her by the hair and slammed the door behind them.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura watched with sad eyes as Gaara stared out the window at the passing city. Her heart clenched. It had to hurt to know the sister you thought hated you...would jump into harms way to get you safe.

Naruto glanced at them from the front seat, where he'd had to share with Sasuke. " Are you hurt?"

" I have a very bad headache, but I think my mom needs to see Gaara." Sakura replied.

" I'm fine." The red-head muttered, " I just cracked a few ribs."

" That's not _fine_." Sakura snapped, " You're hurt and hungry."

His eyes lifted to meet hers. " So are you."

" I didn't get thrown around." She huffed, turning away from him. His eyes scanned the large bruise on the side of her face from where, he guessed, half the case hit her head.

He tugged at her hair and she glanced at him. " What?" She muttered. Wordlessly, his fingers slide over the bruise and she winced.

" Does it hurt?"

" Alot." She hissed, slapping his hand away, " Don't touch it."

He nodded and turned to look back out the window. Naruto sighed and laid his head on Sasuke's shoulder. " Things are getting really messy."

" Yea..." The younger Uchiha muttered, glancing at his brother, who was staring at the road. He hadn't wanted to leave Temari in that house with that man, but they had.

Sasuke hoped to God that she came to school in the next few days, or they'd end up making another trip to the Sabaku house.

TBC

Angel: i'm no so sure this was a good chapter...i'm off my game. I'm in love and you'd think that would boost me up. It does, but i'm too busy thinking about him.

And it dosn't help that he lives in a diffrent STATE!

Anywho. I hope you enjoyed it...not much sasu/naru, but it's gaa/saku too...so yea.

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be,

Angel


	9. Sacrifice

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs,  
And they'll think it's just cause we're young_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Nine

_Sacrifice_

She took special care of making her hair look perfect that morning. Her mother was in the foyer talking to another doctor on the phone.

She'd shampoo'ed for nearly 30 min and dried and straightened it to perfection. Itachi was picking her up in about 10 min, with a sulking Sasuke in the back seat.

After glancing again at her reflection, Sakura walked down the stairs, grabbed her backpack and said good-bye to her mother.

Itachi pulled into the drive as soon as she stepped into the dreary tuesday morning. She climbed into the car and smiled at Sasuke, who gave her a worried look. Was she sure she wanted to go to school today?

Of course she was sure.

They pulled into the school's parking lot and Itachi let them get out before locking the doors and following them inside. Tsunade waved from where she stood talking to Itachi and Shizune gave them a warm smile. Sasuke glanced at Sakura again.

" Are you sure you're ready to do this?" He muttered, " Gaara was just joking about going to school."

" So what? I was gone for the rest of the day. It dosn't ruin my rep." She smiled, giving him a wink. " What did rumors spread about me or something?"

" No." he muttered, " But they probally are about me."

She lifted an eyebrow, " What did Naruto run into the classroom with a loud apology?" He gave her a sideways smile and she laughed. " He did? Whoa."

" It was really..." He wasn't sure how to describe how it felt to have the blonde boy in his arms again. " I dunno."

" Romantic." She smiled, elbowing him. " It was romantic. Sasuke you're so hopeless."

" Little brother...Sakura." Itachi walked up behind them. " She's didn't show up at Gaara's shcool."

Sakura spun around, " She didn't?"

The eldest Uchiha shook his head solemly. Sasuke cursed, " I knew we should have taken her with us."

" We couldn't, the old man would have gotten ahold of all of us then." Sakura sighed, " Then NONE of us would have gotten out alive."

" Did you see the x-rays?" Sasuke snapped, " Two cracked ribs and a sprain wrist. Cuts all over, it's a wonder he didn't die from blood loss."

" Sasuke, I should be saying that." Sakura sighed, rubbing his arm. " Just be glad you had Naruto with you all evening."

" You should have had us come with you." Sasuke growled, " You knew it was dangerous."

" You were busy." She shrugged, " Getting an apology from Naruto."

" That's not the _point!_" The boy growled.

" Just let her be." Itachi sighed as Shikamaru walked up with Ino on his arm. " Shikamaru."

The lazy boy sighed, " Itachi. Sasuke." His eyes landed on Sakura. " Sakura."

" Hi Shikamaru." Sakura smiled, her eyes darted to Sasuke who was glaring at his brother. " Ino."

Ino glared at the pink-haired girl. " I dare you to try and take Shikamaru."

Sakura snorted, " Who wants a lazy guy for a boyfreind." She caught Sasuke smirk. _Temari would._ Perking up a little, she shuffled her shoulders and patted Sasuke on the arm. " I have to go to my locker."

" Alright." He nodded, " Don't wander off and meet us after shcool. We'll head the the hospital."

" Okay. " She replied, turning a corner.

------------------------------------------------------------

The beeping sound was annoying the hell out of him. It was insistant and ringing into his ears, around in his head, then creating a migrane the size of texas.

He groaned and brought a hand to his head, his side ached.

Where was he again? The basement with Sakura?

No. It smelt diffrent, like...anticeptic and sterile pads. Musky and plain, he'd spent the night in a room that smelt the same way...

Teal eyes cracked open slowly and was met with the sight of a white ceiling. Florescent lights made his head hurt and there went that beeping sound again. He sat up slowly, wraping an arm around the side that was hurting.

" Ah. You're up." The cool female voice belonged to Sakura's mother, who had just walked in. " I was waiting for the medicine to wear off, it did, but you didn't wake up."

" I was tired." He muttered. He'd had to keep watch of Sakura while in that basement. Wait...did her mother know where her daughter had been all night?

" You two really shouldn't stay out so late." She scolded, checking his heartbeat.

Well that confirmed what he was thinking. " Sorry."

" Oh she's a big girl now." She waved it off with a hand, " I just want her in by curfew of 5 alright?"

Gaara blinked. Was she giving him permission to..." Alright." He heard himself saying, " But I really shouldn't keep her out past 12."

Her brown eyes lifted to meet his green ones. Now that's what I wanted to hear."

His eyes dulled.

The woman was a sly as her daughter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

No matter how many times Iruka asked, Naruto still turned him down. Come live with me, he says, you'll have a decent place to stay, with food.

As tempting as that sounded, He couldn't.

Iruka had moved in with Kakashi and Naruto didn't want them to be inconvinced(if you catch his drift) with him in the way.

So he sat on a park bench across of Sasuke's school, waiting for the bell to ring. He'd been asked serveral times if he should be in school. It felt bad to lie, but he just told them he was homeschooled and was out for a walk.

He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a loud screech coming from the school across from him.

Oh he'd heard that scream before...

Sakura!

He raced across the street, through the double doors, gaining a yell from a janitor. She was in math now right? With Sasuke? He came to the door and threw it open.

" Who said anything about useing it on you?"

----------------------------------------------------

The clock was tick, tick, ticking. It was driving her crazy. It didn't help that she was worried about Gaara, where Naruto was and if Temari was still alive. Shikamaru kept glancing back at her and Sasuke looked half-asleep.

Ino was sending her glares and Tenten leaned over. " Did you and Ino fight?"

Sakura shrugged, " I think she's afraid I'm going to steal Shikamaru."

Tenten lifted an eyebrow, " Are you?"

" No." Sakura snorted. " He's too lazy for my tastes."

" So you're saying that if he wasn't lazy, then you'd go for him?"

Green eyes narrowed, " No. Because he'll _always_ be lazy. No one can change that." She picked up her pencil. " I though you were mad at me."

" I am." Tenten huffed, " I'm just looking out for Ino."

" I'm _so_ glad you two have such a close freindship." Sakura muttered, scribbling something down on the paper.

" Jealous?"

" No." She shrugged, " I have three perfectly wonderful freinds that won't acuss me of stealing thier boyfriends. Well..." She lifted her head and made a face. " mabye one won't complain about it."

" Who are you talking about?" Tenten hissed.

Sakura smirked, making Tenten's jaw drop. " Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara."

" THEY'RE ALL GUYS?!"

Now the entire class was looking at them, and even though Ino had no clue as to what they were arguing about, she backed up Tenten.

Sakura blinked up at the brown-haired girl. " Is that a problem?"

" That just means you're a slut." Ino snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sakura's eyes narrowed dangeroulsy, but before she could say anything, a chair was being scraped across the floor. Heads turned to where Sasuke now stood.

" You wanna repeat that again?" He growled, " Because I don't think Gaara would like to hear it."

Tenten snorted, " I can't belive you can hang out with three guys and not get caught by your mother." she exchanged a smirk with Ino. " It's time we took top place."

" What are you two babbling about?" Sakura asked, now standing up, " There is no 'top' in this school."

" Oh?" Ino snapped, grabbing her by the front of her shirt. " Then why do you keep acting like you are the 'top' huh?" She gave her a hard shake. " You act like you're so special!"

" I bet that's a wig!" Tenten cackled, moving around Ino and grabbing Sakura by the hair.

She screamed at the pain that shot through her skull. Sasuke moved to grab her, but Kakashi, who was teaching the class, stoped him. " This is her battle." he whispered.

Sasuke just glared and bunched his fists.

Tears brimmed her eyes, but she would't let them fall. Tenten made another pull. " I think she glued it on."

" Yea. Rip it off!" Ino cheered on, stepping back and letting Sakura's shirt go.

Big mistake.

Sakura's hands slide into the purse behind her and pulled out a small pocket knife. Ino screeched and jumped back. " What the hell are you doing with that?"

Tenten's hold tightened. " Don't think that will work on us. You don't have the heart to kill anyone."

Sakura's smirked, " Now. Who said anything about using it on you?"

The door slamed open and gasps flew out around the room as Sakura brought her arm back behind her head.

" Sakura no!" Sasuke and Naruto's voices choursed together as she slide the blade right before Tenten's fingers. The girls sqeauled as the hair she was holding was cut off and she stummbled back.

Pink tresses fell to the floor and onto Sakura's shoulders. Sasuke's jaw dropped open and Kakashi looked just as suprised.

Sakura dropped the knife at her side and blinked. Naruto was standing in the doorway, eyes wide. " You just..."

She looked behind her at the long pink strands at her knees, then looked back at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. " So I cut my hair off? Why the shocked look? Gaara wanted me to cut it anyways."

" But..." Sasuke moved from Kakashi's grasp and stood infront of her. " You've always wanted your hair long. It was a life's dream to keep it long enough to be a model student."

Sakura smiled and sat back on her butt, then lifted her arms in a shrug, " I changed my mind."

Naruto walked up beside Sasuke and put out his hand to help her up. She took it and was lifted her feet. The blonde boy dusted the extra strands off her shoulders. " You look good. Gaara'll be stunned."

Her smile widened. " That's the plan."

TBC

Angel: Well? Still debating on if I should bring Temari back in and hook her up with Shikamaru before the bix climax?

Should I? It's up to the readers. XD

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be, 

Angel


	10. No Preperations

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_And we'll feel so alive_

Throw it away  
Forget yesterday

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Ten

_No Preperations_

Tsunade was leading the way. Some of the nurses were gaping at the three teens that followed behind her. One even dropped the tray she was carrying to a room.

Sasuke sighed, " What are we doing here?"

Tsunade shot him a glare, " She needs to see her mother. This is highly unaceptable. She brought a knife to school and cut off her hair!"

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking to the right. " It's just hair."

" Most women freak when their hair is cut off." Naruto muttered, " Shouldn't you be running in circles and shouting for platic surgery."

" That's for the body dobe." Sasuke snapped, instantly regretting it by the saddened look on the blonde's face. He stoped walking and pulled the blonde into his arms.

Blue eyes blinked. " What are you doing?"

" I didn't mean to get mad." Sasuke muttered, glaring at a smirking Sakura, who followed Tsunade into her mother's patients room.

Tsunade cleared her throat and Sakura's mother looked up from the red-head she was checking on. Sakura poked her head around Tsunade's body and smile. " Hi Mother."

The clipboard clattered to the floor. " Sakura?!"

Teal eyes widened as her mother rushed to Sakura and started breathing in shallow gulps. " You cut you're hair!"

" With a pocket knife she brought to school." Tsuande added in, glaring at the pink-haired girl.

Her mother's eyes narrowed. " I am very dissapointed in you Sakura Haruno."

Sakura's green eyes shifted the the wall. " It's just hair."

" It's not just the hair Sakura! You brought a knife to school!" Her mother scolded, " You're grounded!"

" Oh I'm so scared." Sakura snorted, pushing past her mother, who gaped as she walked over to the red-head's bed. " Hiya."

Gaara's eyes examined her slilently. " Hello."

She put her hands behind her back and lowered her eyes. " Does it look bad?"

He sat up slowly, ignoring the pain in his side, raised a hand and tugged at on of the short strands. " Not at all."

" I got in a fight with Tenten and Ino." She grinned, taking a seat on the bed. " They didn't take well to me hanging out with three boys. My rep as a innocnet girl is deystroyed."

" Oh..and I presume that you're going to blame this on me?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

She nodded, a serious look on her face, " You told me to stay on my toes and that my hair would look better shorter."

He chuckled, fingers skimming her cheek, " I didn't tell you to bring a knife to shcool."

" Scissors would have seemed so elementry. Who attacks people with scissors these days?" She snorted.

" Sakura. Go home." Her mother's stern voice echoed through the room.

Sakura looked back, " Of course Mother." She stood up, then looked down at Gaara. " Be careful when you get home."

" I will." He nodded as she walked out of the room.

---------------------------------------------------

" Don't you think grounding her was alittle harsh?" Naruto asked as he and Sasuke walked to the young Uchiha's car.

" We're not her mother. " Sasuke snorted, " She shouldn't have brought a knife to school."

" She cut her hair." Naruto breathed, climbing into the passenger seat. " Right there. In front of everyone!"

" So?" Sasuke shrugged, " She looks better with is cut shorter. " He started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove down the Avenue and down where Sasuke's house was located.

Naruto's eyes grew weariy. " why are we going down here?" he glanced out the window again, sinking down into the seats.

God. He was a poor home-less kid in the front seat of a rich kids car. People would be able to tell, what would that do to Sasuke's family?

" I need to pick up a few things." Sasuke replied, taking notice of his freinds tense appearence. " Why so nervous?"

" People can tell when you're poor." Naruto whispered, eyes darting to a woman who was walking a french poodle.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, " No that can't."

The blonde nodded vigourusly. " Yes they can Sasuke. I can just walk down a street and be made fun of because i'm homeless."

Dark eyes narrowed, " Then stay in the car." He put the car into park and got out, heading for the front door. It opened for him and his mother smiled at him.

" You're home late dear." Her voice was scolding.

" Sorry. I need to drop a freind off, I have one of his books over here. " Which was true. Well, it wasn't Naruto's book. It was Iruka's.

" Oh. Who's you're freind." She looked behind him at the car and her face fell. Her eyes moved to meet her youngest sons. " The homeless kid."

Sasuke nodded, " Yea. He needed a ride..." Home? No. Naruto would just want to be dropped off at Iruka's or behind the school. Which made Sasuke's itchy at times. Leaving the blonde alone was never an easy task.

" Fugaku!" Mikoto called.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, " Is there a problem?"

" Fugaku! Call the police! There's a drug dealer with our son!" She called and Fugaku came into the foyer, cell phone in hand.

" What?!" Sasuke snarled.

" That boys a known drug dealer!" Mikoto screeched, pointing at the now fearful-looking blonde. " You're father checked him out the night after you met him at the hospital."

The younger Uchiha gaped at his parents. " He's not a drug dealer! He's just homeless!"

The moment Fugaku shut his phone, siren's were echoing down the road. Sasuke spun around. " Naruto! Get out of here!"

The blonde boy scrambled out of the car and didn't get 5 feet from it before being tackled by police officers.

" Let him go!" Sasuke snarled, running down the steps. His arms were seized by another group of officers. " Let him go!" He struggled aginst their holds, eyes wide as Naruto tried to fight off the others. His mother just stood there, arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

" Put him in jail." Fugaku ordered and the officers nodded, dragging an almost crying Naruto with them.

" No!" Sasuke struggled harder, " He hasn't done anything! Naruto!"

Sad, liquid blue eyes turned to meet his darker ones. It hurt to watch those eyes fill with tears again, handcuffed and pushed into the back of a police car. His heart clenched, he'd never see the blonde again. He'd never see that smile again.

" Sasuke!" Naruto beat aginst the window, tears now leaking out. " _Sasuke_!"

" Oh God no...NO!" Sasuke snarled as the car pulled out of the drive and down the road. " Naruto!" He grew limp aginst the officers holding him.

" Put him in his room." Fugaku stated firmly as Itachi's car pulled up behind Sasuke's. The officers dragged a now limp Sasuke to his room.

" Father. What is going on?" Itachi asked, locking his car and walking up the stairs.

" You brother was driving around a drug dealer." Mikoto stated firmly, " We simply called the police. Those drugs must be awful to make Sasuke act at though we were taking his life away." she let him into the house, thanked the officers and shut the door behind them.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, " Mother. What did this dealer look like?"

" A blonde boy. Rugged cloths." She glanced at the clock. " It's getting late dear. Near 8 o'lock. Go get ready for bed."

He nodded and walked up the stairs, pulling out his phone. The voice on the other end sounded tired and bored. Then instantly was awake when Itachi infromed them of what was going on.

" Make sure you're there by 10." Itachi stated firmly. " Not a miniute late."

He shut his phone and knocked on his brother's door.

----------------------------------------------------------

Something was missing.

It felt at though something had been ripped out of him. A piece that needed to be there in order for him to function.

He'd had this feeling before. Only a month ago...before he'd seen Naruto again. That empty feeling that only seemed to be there when Naruto wasn't around.

His eyes lowered to the bed he sat on. Naruto was in jail...for drugs? The blonde didn't do drugs. He may not be smart, but he had enough sense to ignore dealing with dangerous stuff.

The knock on his door made his head hurt even more. He picked up a vase and chunked it, shattering glass all over the expensive carpet. " Go the FUCK away!"

The door opened slowly. " Sasuke?" Itachi's voice drifted over to him.

Sasuke rolled onto his side. " Go _away_."

Itachi walked over to the bed and looked down at the defeated young boy. Did Naruto really make him whole? If so, then where could Itachi find someone like that? His other half.

His eyes narrowed, " Do you want to get him back?"

The boy rolled over to face him. ' How?" He croaked, throat tightening with the threat of tears. " Mother and father will find out."

" Not if I can help it." Itachi pulled the boy up and dangled his car keys infront of his face. " Take my car. Meet Shikamaru at the corner of Roger's and Rita street. He and Temari are working on hacking the system now. No preperations little brother. Get out of town. Choose who you take and who you leave carefully."

Sasuke met his brother's look dead on. " Why are you doing this for me?"

" Because you are the only one in this family who cares nothing of social boundries. " Itachi stated, " You fell in love with a boy below your status, below this city."

" You make it sound like a bad thing." Sasuke snorted, standing up. " I was planning on leaving anyways. That's why I stoped by, but mother got in the way."

" Then leave little brother." Itachi stated, " I'll distract them."

They headed down the stairs, shushing the butlers and maids along the way. Itachi steped into the ktichen. " I need to head out for a while mother. I shall return in about 10 miniutes at the most."

She smiled, " Of course dear."

He walked out and lead Sasuke out the front door. Sasuke climbed into the front seat and started up the car. " Sasuke."

The dark-haired teens head lifted.

" Don't look back."

He nodded and shot out of the drive and down the street. Itachi straightened up and walked back into the house. Mikoto was walking out of the kitchen. " Itachi? I heard your car..."

" Mother. I am sorry."

" Itachi!" She gapsed, " Fugaku! Check Sasuke's room!" She turned to her eldest son, " How could you!"

His glare made her take a step back and run into a fuming Fugaku. " You can not seperate the light and the dark mother. "

" What are you talking about?! I saw the photo of that boy! He's been dealing drugs! He's wanted in the city!" She snarled, " You're sending your brother to his own death!"

" Naruto wouldn't do that!" Itachi roared, fists clenching. " Sasuke deserves to be free of this house! Of this _bloody family!_"

Fugaku headed for the phone, but all he got was an empty noise. He turned back to his oldest son. " What are you..."

" You can't get to him anymore. He's leaving. Give it up."

_To be continued..._

Angel: Whew. -rolls shoulders- my arms hurt now. Long chapter. lots of drama. XD Hope you enjoyed!

Blessed be,

Angel


	11. Free At Last

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Eleven

_Free At Last_

There were bruises around his wrists and a very large one on his right leg. But the wounds on his body didn't hurt twice as much as the one on his heart.

Sasuke had just been ripped from his life. In only a few minutes. Mabye even less than that.

His eyes lowered to the concret floor beneath him and sighed. Jail was even worse than what Gaara had described. It was damp and noisey.

You'd think a place like this would be silent and serene. But noooo. The stupid inmates had to yell at the guards, catcall to the woman and whine about food preperations.

Drugs?

When had he done drugs? Every asshole that offered got a punch in the face and a quick call to the police. So who set him up?

He winced. Oh he had an idea, but he wouldn't blame Sasuke for trying to protect him. Not anymore.

" Hey cutie." A man across the hall snickered, " you look lost."

Blue eyes narrowed, " Shut up."

The man made a face, " You're a guy?"

" What does it look like stupid?" Naruto snorted, shifting his eyes to the door. It was opening and a guard was arguing with someone.

" You can't just barge in here..."

" I think you'll find we can." Another man stated, " Now move." There was a femine giggle and the door shot open.

Naruto gasped, " Shikamaru! Temari!"

Temari winked and blew him a kiss, " Hey blondie."

The blonde boy ran up to the bars and smiled, " What are you two doing here?" judging by Shikamaru's smug look, something illegal. " What did you two do?"

Temari examined her nails, " Just hacked the system and set you free."

" Are you serious?!" He felt as if his heart was going to pop out of his chest. Shikamaru had never said more than a 'hi weirdo' to him on the street. So why go through all this trouble for him?

Temari gave the lazy boy a hug and sighed, " You look confused Naruto."

Shikamaru unlocked the bars and slide the door free, " Don't ask why. Itachi said Sasuke needed you. I was instructed to free you and make sure a black car picked you up...in..." He glanced at his watch. " 10 seconds."

" Shikamaru!" Temari snapped, grabbing both of thier hands and dragging them out the door.

Sure enough, there was a black car pulled up outside the front doors. Temari checked to make sure no one was watching, then poped open the door and shoved the blonde in.

" Hey!"

" You can thank me later. " Temari winked.

" I thought you..."

" nah. " She smiled, " Shikamaru showed up not to long after you guys left. Swept me off my feet." Her eyes fluttered, " I get all excited just remembering. Now, go get my little brother out of that hell hole."

" Ready to go dobe?"

Naruto spun in his seat and gasped, " Sasuke!"

The younger Uchiha smirked, " Glad to see you haven't been getting on the inmates nerves."

The blonde pouted, " It was them who was getting on my nerves."

Sasuke flicked the blondes nose. " Put your seat belt on. We need to pick up a few more people before we head out."

Naruto shut the door as they drove off, waving to Temari and Shikamaru. " Where are we going?"

" We're leaving."

Blue eyes blinked, " What?"

Dark eyes slide over to meet his. " I said, we're leaving. We're picking up Sakura and Gaara and we're _leaving_."

" b-but...why?"

" If we can't be accepted here. Then we'll go somewhere were no one knows us." Sasuke stated, turning a corner and pulling up infront of a yellow house. He honked once and the front door opened slowly.

Sakura, dressed in jeans and a tank top, slung a small bag over her shoulder and shut the door behind her. She tip-toed down the steps and opened the door. " Hey guys."

" hi!" Naruto smiled.

" I told you not to bring anything." Sasuke sighed.

" I'm a girl." She snapped, shutting the door. " We need certin things. So shut up and drive!" They glanced back as the front door opened again, this time her mother in the doorway, shouting and running back in.

" We'd better move fast." Naruto sugested, " I don't feel like going back to prison."

" back?" Sakura muttered.

" Long story. Mabye later." Naruto smiled sheepishly as they pulled up to Gaara's run-down appartment complex. Sasuke honked again.

It took a while, and Naruto first thought he wasn't coming and that his father may have gotten to him before they did. However, they spoted a figure hopping down from the second-story window.

The other door opened, making Sakura jump. " Oh for God's Sake!"

Gaara smirked and slide into the other seat, " Sorry."

" We thought you weren't coming." Sasuke snorted.

" Well, I got your message. My dad heard it ring and went all, 'I'm not paying the bill again'." Teal eyes rolled, " He locked me in my room, I heard your message through the door."

Sakura hugged him and smiled, " We're glad you decided to join us."

" So am I."

They sped off again, coming into the city around nine. Making sure they didn't have the cops on their tails, Sasuke pulled in behind a mini-mall. They all filed out and Sasuke handed Sakura Itachi's credit card.

" Spend wisely." He stated firmly, " He may have given us free passage out, but I don't need him tracking us down and demanding payment."

She smiled, saluted and dragged Gaara into the mall.

" Keep your cell on you!" Sasuke called out, scowling as they snuck around a corner and dodging a security guard. The Uchiha grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him into a store, avoiding the video cameras. They couldn't afford to be spotted this close to their homes.

He would have stopped later, but they needed food for the long trip through the country. Having no clue where they planed on going.

Sakura returned later with one bag in her hand and twelve in an annoyed Gaara's arms. " I should drop all this and ditch you three."

" You wouldn't." Sakura pouted, loading the stuff into the car. " I got some cloths for you two as well."

" Good. " Sasuke blinked, " How do you know our sizes."

She turned away and hummed to herself, " I guessed."

" _Sakura!_"

She giggled and locked herself in the car, dodging a lunging Sasuke. Gaara rolled his eyes and finished loading the bags into the back of the car, then climbed in on Sakura's opposite side.

Sasuke and Naruto climbed in, started up the car and pulled out of the lot.

The faint sound of sirens had Sasuke cursing slightly and speeding up. " That can't be good." Naruto muttered from beside him.

Sakura stood up in her seat and stuck her head out the sunroof. " Yup. There they are. Man, my mom dosn't waste time."

She yelped when Gaara pulled her down roughly, " Stay down you idiot!"

" Don't you yell at me!" She snapped, poking him in the chest. " I was just checking."

" We have a back window." Gaara growled, eyes narrowing.

" The sunroof isn't tinted."

Sasuke and Naruto watched the argument from the rearview mirror with raised eyebrows. They both wondered if Sakura knew why Gaara had really pulled her down.

" Why do you have to be so mean?!"

" Why do you have to be stupid?"

Naruto lifted an eyebrow and exchanged looks with the Uchiha. Did thier fights sound like this when they fought? If so...they why didn't anyone every laugh?

It was so damn _funny._

" You're an asshole!"

" and your a clumsy girl!"

" That wasn't even a good retort you moron!"

" Like it matters!"

" It does!"

" Right turn!" Sasuke called, making a quick right turn, barly making the yellow light. It threw Sakura aginst Gaara, who looked annoyed and pleased at the same time.

" What the hell was that for?!" Both cried as Sasuke smirked and Naruto fell into fist of laughter.

" I told you." Sasuke glanced back, " Right turn."

" That was one hell of a right turn!" Gaara snapped, noticing that Sakura had not gotten off of him. With nervous hands, he lifted her into a sitting position and kept his arm around her.

" My apologies." Sasuke nodded. His heart fluttered slightly when he felt Naruto's hand on top of his own on the gear shift. " What?"

Naruto looked back, " I think we lost them."

" I hope Itachi turned off his GPS tracking thing on here." Sakura muttered, glaring at the front of the car, and despite thier argument, was letting Gaara's arm stay around her.

" He disengaged it long ago." Sasuke smirked, " Mom and dad were furious."

" Bet this is worse." Naruto whispered, blue eyes lowering. " I'm gonna miss Iruka."

" We're going to miss alot of people." Sakura agreed, laying her head on Gaara's shoulder.

They all tensed when Sasuke's ringer went off. He checked the caller id, then flipped it open and put it on speaker. " Yea?"

" _Hello brats._"

" Tsuande?!" they all gasped.

The woman's chuckled came. " _I'm glad you got out safe. Kakashi thought you would't make it._"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. " You knew we were going to leave?"

_" We figured it was going to happen sooner or later. I could see the gears turning in your head after Naruto's hospital incident."_

Naruto blushed and looked away, muttering something along the line of a 'sorry'. Sasuke laced thier fingers together with his free hand and squeezed. The blonde boy smiled.

" Why did you call?" Sakura asked.

" _Well, when you mother called, frantic that 'that Uchiha boy stole my daughter!' I thought, they're finally leaving. Might as well tell them there's a house in southern Arkansas that's all ready for you."_

Four jaws dropped. " Arkasas?!"

" _Yep. Once you get out of New York, call me. We'll keep in touch and i'll lead you there. Kakshi and Iruka say hi." _

Gaara smirked, " I guess we should thank you for the help."

_" I knew it would happen sooner or later. " _She paused for a moment, " _Congraulations brats. You're free." _

They all exchanged wide grins then let out a loud shout of joy that had Tsuande, Kakashi and Iruka laughing through the speaker.

It was true.

They were _free_ now.

To be continued...

Angel: XD soooooo? what did you think? They finally LEFT! GO ME! lol Sorry it took me so long tho, i thought I was gonna lose internet by now, but i didn't, so i'm salvaging what I can.

Hope you enjoyed,

Blessed be,

Angel


	12. The Downfall

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 12

_The Downfall_

His eyes were getting really droopy and the road was getting blury...but he couldn't stop yet. They were halfway there!

Naruto was asleep, head aginst the pillow Sakura had bought before they left town. Sakura was sleeping as well, nestled aginst a stotic Gaara, who was staring out the window.

Lifting a hand to his face, Sasuke wipped his eyes real quick, then put it back on the steering wheel, eyes narrowed at the road. They had called Tsunade 20 hours into the trip. She said it was located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The address wouldn't be told to them untill they were safely in the state.

Currently, they were somewhere in Tennesse.

" Do you want me to drive?" Gaara's voice jolted Sasuke slightly. None of them had spoken for hours.

" I'm fine." Sasuke stated.

" You look tired. Pull over and we can switch."

" I said I was fine." He growled, glaring into the rear view mirror. Teal eyes glared right back, keeping his face devoid of emotion.

" You're going to kill us all. Pull over."

Letting out a long sigh, Sasuke put on the blinker and pulled up to the side of the road. Resting his head on the steering wheel, his fingers tightened. " Was is crazy to leave?"

Gaara was silent for a while before also sighing. " Yes. Very crazy. We might not make it."

" But it's better than living the way we were." Sasuke whispered.

" Of course...but we're putting ourselves in danger. We have no adults...what if they track us down?" The red head, poped open the door and got out, Sasuke following.

" Itachi won't tell, but Sakura's mom may end up going after us. She's her mothers pride and joy." Sasuke sighed, leaning aginst the door and staring out to the open plains. It was dark, but stars were splattered across the open sky, the moon high above. How many times...when he stared out his window at the busy town infront of him...had he wished he was in the this verys spot. Watching the stars.

And how many times...had he wanted to sit on a blanket with Naruto wrapped in his arms?

" If you want, we can switch them around. " Gaara stated, motioning to the sleeping ones. " You might sleep better knowing Naruto's not far."

He shook his head, " I don't want to wake them."

" Too late." came a sleepy male voice from the front seat. Sasuke glanced back and almost smiled. Naruto looked cute half asleep and wrapped in his jacket.

" Were we loud?" Sasuke asked, instinct making his hand brush unruly strands of hair out of the blonde's face.

" No. But the second I heard...do you want to switch them around...i thought.." Blue eyes lowered, " I thought we were still back..._there_."

" Sasuke's wore out." Gaara stated, " So I decided to drive. I asked him if he wanted to put you back there with him...so you both don't have nightmares."

Naruto nodded slightly, wrapped the jacket tighter and climbed out of the car, walking around the side and stopping next to Sasuke. Gaara jogged to the other side to pull Sakura out and into the front seat.

" Sleep well?" Sasuke asked.

" Mhmm." Naruto muttered, " I guess that stupid symphony cd Itachi put in there did it."

" Naruto..." The dark-haired teen sighed, " We're not sure...if we'll make it far...once we get there." The blonde boy shifted beside him, adjusting the jacket slightly to put his arms through it. Dark eyes widened when a slim hand slipped into his. " Naru..."

" We'll take it as it comes." Naruto whispered, " We've made it this far. We can't start doubting now."

Sasuke nodded slightly, squeezing the hand linked with his. Gaara started the car up again and told them to get in.

Once settled into the back seat, Sasuke fell asleep instantly.

--------------------------------------

Tsunade sighed heavily as she watch Sakura's mom pace back and forth around the room. Two days since the teens had left. Two days since Itachi had come in with the aura of relief around him. Knowing his brother was safe from his parents grasp. Two days since Iruka cried knowing Naruto was away from that hideous box. Two days since Temari and Shikamaru came in, both proud and beaming that Gaara's dad hadn't even bothered with chasing after them.

The only problem now...was Sakura's mom.

Ana Haruno was the doting mother of one girl. Sakura was her most prized possesion. To know that that possesion would just one day dissapear...

" Ana." Tsuande sighed again.

" Why would she go with them?!" Ana spun to look at the principal of her daughters school, " Why would she disobey me and leave with those...boys!"

" You didn't give her much of a choice." Tsuande stated firmly, fingers tapping on the desk infront of her. " You pushed her to be the model student. A plastic DOLL that walked around with a fake smile."

" What are you..."

" She was the happiest with those three boys. Her smile was real." The blonde woman stood up, " Taking that from her would be cruel."

Ana snorted, " I could care less. She ran away. I'm going after her!" She flounced to the door, " And i'm taking the law with me! Those boys will be taken care of!" The door slamed shut behind her and Tusnade sighed.

She picked up the phone and dialed Itachi's number.

_" Tsunade?"_

" How are things on your end?"

_" My parents are rounding up law enforcment. You?"_

" Same here. Ana's on her way to the police station now."

_" And Just when we thought it would get better..." _His sigh was long and tired.

" I'll call them and make sure they're a safe distance. Once they're there, i'll give them the coordinates." She rubbed her temples, " and Itachi?"

_" Yes?" _

" When do you plan on leaving yourself?"

_" When my brother is settled and happy."_

" Well. The happy parts been taken care of." She smiled, " Lets just get the settled down pat. I've got lawyers to call."

They hung up and Tsunade leaned back in her chair. Now...to find a lawyer that she could trust and that could find the info she needed.

She leaned forward and tapped a finger aginst her chin. Ah.

She knew just the person.

TBC

Angel: OMG. Sorry for the delays! I was grounded and i'm in the process of moving. Plus it's christmas...so things have been hectic around here.

I'm working on Summer In The South right after i post this. Hopefully, i'll have it up this week. I'm also working on another story for my friends...so that's tieing me up as well.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PATIENT!

Blessed Be,

Angel


	13. The House on Daylight Hill

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Thirteen

_The House on Daylight Hill_

Sasuke watched silently as Naruto slept in the seat beside him. He couldn't deny that his eyes were dropping as well. They'd been traveling for over 10 hours, hoping that the police wouldn't still be following them. He didn't want to stop at all. If his parents found a way to put them on the news, then they would be screwed over.

" Do you want me to drive?" Gaara asked, voice rough with his own sleep. " you look like your about to collapse."

" I'm fine."

" Swallow your pride and pull over." The red-head snorted, " I'll even move Naruto back here if you can't bear to part with him."

Coal eyes glared at him in the rear view mirror. " I'm _fine._" He growled, " Shut up and go back to sleep."

" You really need to get over yourself." Gaara hissed, trying not to yell, since Sakura was asleep in his lap. " Your exhausted. It's been a rough day for all of us. A rough week really. You need _sleep_ Sasuke."

The young Uchiha gave a heavy sigh, pulled over on the side of the barren highway. He got out of the car, Gaara following and carried a mumbling Naruto to the backseat. Gaara placed Sakura, who woke up when the doors opened, in the front seat.

" I can walk stupid." She muttered, glaring at him as he buckled her seatbelt.

" And risk you falling down into a ditch? " Gaara snorted, flicking her nose. " not a chance pinky."

" Jerk." She muttered.

He just shut her door and climbed into the drivers seat. Glacing back at Sasuke, who was now offically asleep in the backseat, he smirked and started the car up again.

------------------------------------------

" Why would she run?"

Tsunade sat back in her office chair and watched through lazy eyes as Sakrua's mom paced back and forth. Oh she knew why they ran. " I'm not sure Saki."

Saki spun around and threw her arms out. " Where did I go wrong?"

" No where." Tsuande assured, _except for making her go to a school she clearly hated_, " Sasuke's parents are working hard to locate the car. It's GPS'ed."

" That's not the point! They could be hours away!"

" A day actually." Tsuande shrugged, " Have you ever though of why they would run. The four of them?"

Saki looked back at her, " Sex? Drugs?"

The blonde woman snorted, " Like hell. I knew they well enough to know they wern't into that stuff."

" Then do you know where they would go?"

Her brown eyes lifted to the ceiling, " No. I wouldn't. Itachi helped them escape. You might want to ask him."

Saki growled and threw the door open, revealing an emotion-less Itachi with a fist raised to knock. " Ah. Speak of the devil." Tsunade smiled.

" I have come to ask a favor of you." Itachi stated, " But you are busy. I'll wait outside."

" No. " Saki snapped, " Where is my daughter?!"

Red-ish black eyes gave her a dull look, " Well, according to my mother...she's with Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara."

" No! Where are they AT?!"

" How would I know?"

Saki jammed a finger into his chest, " _You...YOU _let them ESCAPE!"

His fingers wrapped around her wrist. " They deserved the escape. They _deserve_ the freedom that _you_ refused to give them. Anchoring them down for _your_ reputations sake is _wrong_. They are not trophey's."

Saki gaped at him, " I never treated her like a..."

" Sending her to this school was your first mistake." Itachi growled, eyes narrowing down at her. His brother and his friends deserved this freedom.

And there was no way this woman was getting in the way of that.

------------------------------

The hills were beautiful.

Azure and Emerald eyes watched in facination as the scenery passed by the windows. Sakura was practically bouncing in her seat by the time they crossed the Arkansas border two hours ago. It had been a long, tedious trip, but Gaara and Sasuke had taken turns driving.

There was no way they were letting Sakura or Naruto behind the wheel at three in the morning.

Tsunade's voice blared on the car's speakers. They had connected the phone to it half way there.

" _Hello Maggets!_"

" Hi Tsunade!" Sakura smiled down at the phone, " How are things going up there?"

" _Dreadful. You're mothers a right handful. Took Itachi almost and hour to get her out of my office so I could contact you."_

" Who's phone is this?" Naruto asked, peering at the black device.

" Kakashi's." Sasuke replied, " He gave it to Itachi and Itachi put it in the car."

" Smart." Gaara smirked, keeping his eyes on the road. " So, where to?"

" _You'll be residing in Hot Springs, it's almost at the bottom of the state. That way you'll be closer to Louisiana. They're real nice people if you need an escape."_

Sasuke chuckled, " You thought ahead."

" _Only while you were high-tailing your asses out of the city_."

They all laughed at that. Naruto shouldered Sasuke, who ruffled the others hair. It was so easy to smile now. They were free.

And no matter how many times they repeated it, it sounded better each and every time.

" _It's a large white house on Daylight Hill. I'll send the directions to the GPS." _

" Thank you so much Tsunade." Sakura sighed, " This place is beautiful."

" _I know. Itachi picked it out. Somewhere safe, beautiful and fun_." There was a male chuckled on the line.

" _You're welcome, Little brother._"

Sasuke's eyes softened, " Words of thanks won't do this justice."

" _You can pay me back later_."

" You can count on it."

" Alright." Gaara glanced down at the GPS. His eyes moved to meet Sakura's. " To our new home?" Her smile made his heart melt.

" _I'll call you later tonight to make sure you get there safe. Feel free to go shopping. It's all under my credit card."_

" You rock!" Naruto cried, punching a fist into the air. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Tsunade hung up and Gaara put the directions onscreen.

" To Daylight Hill?"

" To DAYLIGHT HILL!"

------------------------------------------

House.

_House._

_**HOUSE?!**_

This was a freakin MANSION! Two stories high, wider than three 18 wheelers and the most beautiful shade of white and blue. Various trees outlined the house as well. The front drive was gravel, but the front yard had a marble statue of a unicorn, water spouting from the horn and into clear blue water of a small pond.

A stone walkway, lines with colorful flowers, lead to a pillared entrance with two large doors.

" I'm afraid to knock." Sakura muttered, eyeing her surroundings in awe. Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara were no different.

It was stunning.

Sasuke lifted his hand and slamed the golden knocker aginst the door. From inside, a few enlightened gasps and the sound of running footsteps.

The white doors flew open, which seemed a hard task for such large doors. A short blue-haired girl in blue jeans and a white sweater smiled at them.

" Oh Lynn! They're here!"

Sakura and Gaara jumped slightly at the out burst. Another pair of running footsteps could be heard from above.

Seconds later, a girl with short red hair, black shorts and a green tank top was sliding down the stair railing. She hopped onto the cherry wood floor, barefeet oddly silent.

" Welcome to Daylight Manor! I'm Lynn and This is Hinata! We work here!"

" W-work?!" Naruto squeaked. " Like...as in...slave work?"

" No silly!" Hinata giggled, " We like this job! Itachi offered it to us. We were living on the streets for goodness sakes!"

" Oh..." Sasuke cleared his throat. " Sasuke Uchiha."

" Naruto."

" Sakura Haruno."

" Gaara."

" Welcome!" Lynn smiled, ushering them inside. " Hinata, can you go fetch Kiba and Shino from the back? They're tending to the horse's."

" Alright!" Hinata saluted and rushed off to the right.

If they thought the outside was wonderful, this topped it all. Gaara lost his breath the second he steped in behind Sakura. The foyer was decorated with lush paintings of coloinal times, odd and mishapen vases full of bright flowers. The winding oak staircase was covered in red velvet carpet. Lynn led them to the right, which was a large living area with deep blue furniture, a fireplace and flatscreen tv.

All four had to fight the urge to see how many channels they caught here.

" There are 16 rooms. 17 bathrooms, the stables are out back, a stream isn't too far a hike down the hill. The kitchen is to the left of the foyer. Choji is our main chef and Shikamaru...well. He's probally sleeping on the back porch." She lead them back into the foyer and opened the kitchen door.

A well rounded brown-haired boy looked up from a sizzling pan. " Choji! Our new residents have arrived."

The boy brightened, " Hello there!"

They all waved back before following Lynn further down the hall to a large ball room. The window streched the entire west wall, a view of the sunset would look wonderful. A black Grand Piano sat to the left of the window.

" Can any of you play?" She asked, brown eyes lighting up when Sasuke raised his hand. " You must play for us one evening. This room connects to the dinning room. I'll show you that at dinner."

After a through tour of the first floor, Lynn lead them back to the staircase, where a messy-headed boy, a white dog and a dark-haired boy with sunglasses stood.

" This is Kiba and Shino, our stablehands."

" Nice ta meetcha!" Kiba stated, holding out his hand. Naruto was the first to shake it. Akamaru barked happily. " Heey! He likes you!"

Shino lifted a hand in hello.

Sakura waved back.

" Don't worry. He dosn't talk much. Shall I show you to your rooms?" Lynn asked, motioning a hand to the stairs. " Then Hinata and I will take you all shopping!"

The boys groaned.

TBC

Yes..I understand that the first part of this mirrors the begining of 12...but it seems...I got the documents mixed up.

Forgive me!

The begining of this was supposed to be the begining of 12, but i ended up writing 12 at my grandmothers...soo...gaah.

FORIGIVE ME!

I hope the rest of it was to your satisfaction.

ahhh. What an update. Wouldn't you all agree? I was reading my Aunts typepad blog and some of her new updates inspired me to write something...beautiful.

She has that effect on me. She's a catholic mother and I adore her. I've read one of her books 'A picture Perfect Childhood' and I melted. My uncle let me read it.

At first, I just wanted a plain house in a small neighbor hood. But then it hit me...a big house...with beautiful scenery. A place I only dream of living in.

Lynn is me, myself and I.

Blessed Be,

Angel


	14. Beautiful In His Eyes

The Great Escape

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_All of the wasted time_

_The hours that were left behind_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter Thirteen

_Beautiful in His Eyes_

It had to be a dream.

Naruto kept thinking that over and over and over again. No matter how many times Sasuke tugged at his sleeves to keep him moving through the store. Sakura and Lynn were having the time of their lives, trying to get Gaara to try on cloths.

That were SO not him.

He wanted to go to Hot Topic, Lynn wanted him to wear something more appropriate for their house. Sakura eventually talked her into letting him wear what he wanted.

Now, arms full of shopping bags, trinkets and so forth, they walked back into the manor to be greeted with the smell of pot roast.

" Ah!" Lynn smiled, " Choji is making one of his rare meals for your arrival!" She moved around the foyer, sorting out bags and handing them to their rightful owners. " Now, take them upstairs to your rooms, unpack them and by that time, dinner should be ready."

" Okay." Sakura smiled, gathering up her bags and motioning for Gaara to follow her. He did, for they had rooms right next door to each other down the left hall. Sasuke and Naruto's was right across from their own.

" It's so cool." Naruto breathed out, setting his bags on his red-sheeted queen bed. " Like a dream." He took a seat on the mattress and then fell back. It had been ages since he'd slept in a real bed. Well, other than a rare time or two that Sasuke could sneak him into his own.

The door joining his and Sasuke's rooms opened, revealing the very boys he had been thinking about. " Like it?"

" Love it." He whispered, closing his eyes.

Sasuke hesitated slightly before climbing onto the bed and laying next to Naruto. They laid like that for a long while, staring up at the blue ceiling. After some time, Sasuke rolled over onto his side and looked down at the blue-eyed boy.

" Are we going to be safe here?" Naruto whispered, his eyes loving to meet black.

" For now." Sasuke nodded, " Tsunade and everyone are going to try their hardest to keep us hidden till we're all 18. Then we'll get jobs, our own houses..."

" Girlfriends." Naurto chuckled, putting his hands behind his head. When he didn't hear Sasuke laugh with him, he looked at him.

There was something on his face, an emotion, that he really coundn't quite place. He blinked, " What...you don't want a girlfriend?"

" I..." Sasuke swallowed thickly, lifting a hand and running his fingers over the whisker scars on his friends cheek. " I...don't want anyone."

Blue eyes grew confused, " You don't want friends...?"

Sasuke shook his head, " No. No. I don't want anyone but _you_."

Naruto gasped, " But...but..." He sat up fast, pushing Sasuke's hand away and blushing. " I'm not your type! Y-you need someone who has background...family...someone one who's good looking and..."

The Uchiha growled, taking the blondes face in his hands and pressing their lips together in a hot, sweet kiss. " I only want _you_." he kissed him again, this one longer, sweeter and Naruto melted against him.

" And I think your beautiful."

Naruto grabbed onto the elder boys shirt, buried his face in his neck and cried. It was almost too good to be true. Because if this was just a dream, he never wanted to wake up.

--

Sakura spun around on her heels, then fell to the floor, arms and legs spread out on the carpet. Gaara walked in, carrying a bag of hers that had gotten mixed in with his.

" Having fun are we?"

" I can't seem to believe it." She sighed, stretching her arms over her head. " I keep pinching myself over and over again and everything is still here."

He sat down next to her and linked one of their hands together, " It's hard to accept, yea, but we're here." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, " And I couldn't think of better person to escape with."

Sakura blushed, sitting up and moving to where his arm was around her and her head was on his shoulder. They sat like that, looking out the large window.

They sky was blue, white fluffy clouds slowly making a journey over their heads. Birds landed in trees, chirping out a fun tunes.

Her fingers tightened with his.

But deep down she wondered...

How long would this all last?

TBC

It's oober short. I know, the next one will be longer. I just needed to get an update, even if it were a filler chapter, out here so I could get the gears turning in my head for this story.

and boy are they turning. lol

This story is almost over.

So stay tuned!

Blessed be,

Angel


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